College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

College of Our Lady of the Elms

Chicopee, MA 949 Undergrads 75.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$53,037
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,237
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,611
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,237
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$60,611
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$64,534
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate75.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)26.0
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 Recipients48.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
85.3%
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
+$534k
+$64k
+$47k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$475k
+$5k
-$11k
Full Cost$53k/yr
+$343k
-$127k
-$143k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-19%
Full Cost$53k/yr
Never
-75%
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-48%

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-76%

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 →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,082
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,438
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,789
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$41,831
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,168
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,641
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,976
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$97,773
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$285k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,938
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$36,174
Natl Median: $63,593
Lifetime Value Added
-$327k

Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,418
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,582
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,138
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,921
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$73,548
Earnings (5yr)
$135,991
Natl Median: $138,131
Lifetime Value Added
+$282k

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.