College ROI

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Boston Architectural College

Boston, MA 280 Undergrads 40.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$40,343
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,865
After Aid
Median Earnings
$79,953
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,865
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$79,953
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate40.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time61.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

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
+$690k
+$223k
+$206k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$597k
+$130k
+$112k
Full Cost$40k/yr
+$545k
+$78k
+$60k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
37
121%
Full Cost$40k/yr
45
42%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • 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 Return172%

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-9%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$46,000
Earnings (4yr)
$82,268
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Environmental Design
BachCIP: 0404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Natl Median: $57,461
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Interior Architecture
BachCIP: 0405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,369
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Landscape Architecture
BachCIP: 0406
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,387
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$64,681
Earnings (4yr)
$83,817
Natl Median: $74,139
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Environmental Design
MastCIP: 0404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,130
Natl Median: $71,717
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Interior Architecture
MastCIP: 0405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,221
Natl Median: $66,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Landscape Architecture
MastCIP: 0406
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,306
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.