College ROI

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Bentley University

Waltham, MA 4,474 Undergrads 89.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$83,072
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$38,969
After Aid
Median Earnings
$113,660
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$38,969
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$113,660
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$126,427
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate89.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)19.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS94.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
45.1%
SAT Avg
1,352
SAT Reading
25th: 63066075th: 700
SAT Math
25th: 65069075th: 730
ACT Composite
25th: 283075th: 31

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$934k
+$464k
+$448k
Median Cost$39k/yr
+$794k
+$324k
+$307k
Full Cost$83k/yr
+$635k
+$165k
+$149k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
∞
Median Cost$39k/yr
31
219%
Full Cost$83k/yr
41
50%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return183%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-12%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$22,864
Earnings (4yr)
$108,343
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$99,514
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$217k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$109,922
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
+$296k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$80,781
Natl Median: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Median Debt
$25,616
Earnings (4yr)
$108,886
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$111,853
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$122,075
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$388k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$113,795
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$325k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,907
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,719
Earnings (4yr)
$105,183
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,719
Earnings (4yr)
$111,433
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$23,237
Earnings (4yr)
$88,461
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$101,971
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$148,087
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
+$583k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,721
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$115,201
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$302k
Median Debt
$37,922
Earnings (4yr)
$156,061
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$655k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$78,343
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$131,993
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$448k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$161,848
Natl Median: $115,403
Lifetime Value Added
+$705k
Median Debt
$26,359
Earnings (4yr)
$130,975
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$439k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$77,715
Natl Median: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$119,302
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$338k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,363
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.