Bowdoin College

Brunswick, ME 1,873 Undergrads 94.1% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$85,100

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$14,398

After Aid

Median Earnings

$79,722

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,398

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$79,722

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate94.1%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.4

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients16.8%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time100.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS83.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

7.1%

SAT Avg

1,520

SAT Reading

25th: 730-75th: 770

SAT Math

25th: 740-75th: 780

ACT Composite

25th: 33-75th: 35

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

+$688k

+$221k

+$204k

Median Cost$14k/yr

+$636k

+$169k

+$152k

Full Cost$85k/yr

+$382k

-$85k

-$102k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$14k/yr

293%

Full Cost$85k/yr

Never

-33%

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 Return28%

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-57%

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

Anthropology

BachCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Archeology

BachCIP: 4503

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,748

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

$24,000

Earnings (4yr)

$75,966

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

+$123k

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$39,009

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$163k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1612

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,429

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$137,611

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

+$591k

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

$19,500

Earnings (4yr)

$121,983

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$474k

Education, Other

BachCIP: 1399

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,113

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$22,771

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$310k

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$30,771

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$237k

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

BachCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $60,190

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1605

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,459

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics and Computer Science

BachCIP: 3008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $118,943

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$159,954

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

+$735k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$64,067

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

+$22k

Neurobiology and Neurosciences

BachCIP: 2615

Median Debt

$19,500

Earnings (2yr)

$39,369

Natl Median: $62,451

Lifetime Value Added

-$159k

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

$19,634

Earnings (4yr)

$89,253

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

+$225k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$44,971

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$110k

Religion/Religious Studies

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Research and Experimental Psychology

BachCIP: 4227

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,695

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$32,925

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

-$217k

Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1604

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,169

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$30,771

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$237k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Visual and Performing Arts, General

BachCIP: 5001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,688

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. 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.