Carleton College

Northfield, MN 2,086 Undergrads 91.4% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$84,893

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$25,407

After Aid

Median Earnings

$66,841

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,407

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$66,841

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate91.4%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.4

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients15.7%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time100.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS77.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

20.4%

SAT Avg

1,517

SAT Reading

25th: 72072975th: 770

SAT Math

25th: 73075075th: 790

ACT Composite

25th: 323375th: 34

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

+$590k

+$123k

+$105k

Median Cost$25k/yr

+$498k

+$31k

+$14k

Full Cost$85k/yr

+$284k

-$183k

-$200k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$25k/yr

15%

Full Cost$85k/yr

Never

-66%

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 Return-32%

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-75%

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

Archeology

BachCIP: 4503

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,748

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$17,929

Earnings (5yr)

$61,887

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$35k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

$17,000

Earnings (2yr)

$36,141

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

-$228k

Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1612

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,429

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Cognitive Science

BachCIP: 3025

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $81,496

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

$18,254

Earnings (5yr)

$121,569

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

+$413k

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)

$87,193

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$169k

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$21,167

Earnings (2yr)

$22,329

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$354k

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

BachCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$55,953

Natl Median: $43,765

Lifetime Value Added

-$82k

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$21,964

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$357k

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

International Relations and National Security Studies

BachCIP: 4509

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $66,596

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

BachCIP: 1601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,984

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

$11,500

Earnings (2yr)

$37,568

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$215k

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$42,774

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

-$169k

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

$18,700

Earnings (4yr)

$53,975

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

-$89k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$47,957

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$147k

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

$16,700

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,695

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1604

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,169

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Social Sciences, Other

BachCIP: 4599

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$26,353

Natl Median: $56,812

Lifetime Value Added

-$317k

Statistics

BachCIP: 2705

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,425

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.