College ROI

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Cambridge College

Boston, MA 532 Undergrads 41.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$34,578
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$31,462
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,375
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$31,462
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$61,375
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$58,665
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate41.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)33.3
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time21.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.5%

Admissions Profile

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

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
+$540k
+$70k
+$54k
Median Cost$31k/yr
+$427k
-$43k
-$60k
Full Cost$35k/yr
+$415k
-$55k
-$71k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
37
∞
Median Cost$31k/yr
Never
-53%
Full Cost$35k/yr
Never
-57%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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-11%

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-60%

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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$21,182
Earnings (4yr)
$56,332
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
$22,040
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,457
Earnings (4yr)
$55,038
Natl Median: $48,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,296
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,524
Earnings (5yr)
$68,085
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Median Debt
$23,813
Earnings (5yr)
$54,088
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,439
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$27,912
Earnings (4yr)
$66,360
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
$29,500
Earnings (4yr)
$85,569
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,941
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
$18,859
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$39,257
Earnings (5yr)
$70,158
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Median Debt
$17,045
Earnings (4yr)
$48,826
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Median Debt
$40,167
Earnings (5yr)
$59,942
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Median Debt
$21,328
Earnings (4yr)
$66,861
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Median Debt
$14,580
Earnings (4yr)
$36,538
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$399k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,134
Natl Median: $60,655
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,095
Natl Median: $64,774
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,178
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.