Colby College

Waterville, ME 2,407 Undergrads 87.6% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$85,420

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$17,180

After Aid

Median Earnings

$77,429

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,180

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$77,429

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$80,490

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate87.6%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.4

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients13.8%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time100.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS85.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

7.1%

SAT Avg

1,501

SAT Reading

25th: 72072075th: 760

SAT Math

25th: 74074575th: 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

+$671k

+$204k

+$186k

Median Cost$17k/yr

+$609k

+$142k

+$124k

Full Cost$85k/yr

+$363k

-$104k

-$121k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$17k/yr

201%

Full Cost$85k/yr

Never

-39%

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 Return17%

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%

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)

$44,971

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

-$120k

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$64,207

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

+$23k

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$30,771

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$247k

Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology

BachCIP: 2611

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $86,713

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Classical and Ancient Studies

BachCIP: 3022

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,477

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)

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

BachCIP: 2613

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,842

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

$24,250

Earnings (4yr)

$103,491

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$323k

Education, General

BachCIP: 1301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,808

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$41,193

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$153k

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 (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

BachCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $60,190

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

International/Globalization Studies

BachCIP: 3020

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$79,364

Natl Median: $59,972

Lifetime Value Added

+$127k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General

BachCIP: 3000

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,532

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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

$19,313

Earnings (4yr)

$55,719

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

-$45k

Neurobiology and Neurosciences

BachCIP: 2615

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,451

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 (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$96,621

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

+$271k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$65,101

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

+$20k

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

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

BachCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,471

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

$17,500

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Science, Technology and Society

BachCIP: 3015

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $67,452

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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.