College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr, PA 1,346 Undergrads 86.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$79,380
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$40,690
After Aid
Median Earnings
$75,217
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$40,690
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$75,217
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate86.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients14.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
31.1%
SAT Avg
1,404
SAT Reading
25th: 670-75th: 740
SAT Math
25th: 630-75th: 730
ACT Composite
25th: 30-75th: 33

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
+$631k
+$235k
+$147k
Median Cost$41k/yr
+$485k
+$89k
+$588
Full Cost$79k/yr
+$346k
-$51k
-$139k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
Median Cost$41k/yr
64
0%
Full Cost$79k/yr
Never
-49%
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 Return-0%

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-65%
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 (5yr)
$43,253
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,031
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,200
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,494
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,828
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,433
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,234
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,446
Lifetime Value Added
-$232k

Master's Degrees

Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$39,516
Earnings (5yr)
$62,103
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k

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.