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Brown University
Providence, RI 7,273 Undergrads 96.6% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$84,986
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,572
After Aid
Median Earnings
$93,487
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$26,572
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$93,487
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate96.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients13.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
5.2%
SAT Avg
1,546
SAT Reading
25th: 74074575th: 770
SAT Math
25th: 76077075th: 800
ACT Composite
25th: 343475th: 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
+$766k
+$369k
+$281k
Median Cost$27k/yr
+$670k
+$273k
+$186k
Full Cost$85k/yr
+$460k
+$63k
-$25k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$27k/yr
33
194%
Full Cost$85k/yr
Never
-8%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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 Return75%
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-43%
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 (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
$10,000
Earnings (5yr)
$135,511
Lifetime Value Added
+$512k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,144
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$10,000
Earnings (2yr)
$36,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$11,500
Earnings (5yr)
$271,601
Lifetime Value Added
+$1483k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$112,306
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,577
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$117,101
Lifetime Value Added
+$375k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$12,974
Earnings (5yr)
$55,569
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$118,561
Lifetime Value Added
+$386k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$17,300
Earnings (5yr)
$74,287
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$13,491
Earnings (5yr)
$81,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Human Biology
BachCIP: 3027
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$104,415
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
BachCIP: 3000
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,019
Lifetime Value Added
-$306k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,145
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$9,250
Earnings (5yr)
$73,645
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$14,481
Earnings (5yr)
$82,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,062
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$11,760
Earnings (5yr)
$70,772
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Master's Degrees
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
MastCIP: 1302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$60,771
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
MastCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$22,922
Lifetime Value Added
-$313k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$81,770
Lifetime Value Added
+$234k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,329
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$49,500
Earnings (5yr)
$93,143
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$47,500
Earnings (5yr)
$99,422
Lifetime Value Added
+$386k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,368
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Professional Degrees
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$146,880
Earnings (5yr)
$134,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$453k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.