College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MA 3,106 Undergrads 92.0% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$80,334

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$38,782

After Aid

Median Earnings

$84,553

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$38,782

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

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

$84,553

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

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

$90,543

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate92.0%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.4

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients14.9%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time100.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS93.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

17.6%

SAT Avg

1,353

SAT Reading

25th: 63067075th: 710

SAT Math

25th: 61066075th: 700

ACT Composite

25th: 273075th: 32

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

+$725k

+$258k

+$241k

Median Cost$39k/yr

+$585k

+$119k

+$101k

Full Cost$80k/yr

+$436k

-$31k

-$48k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$39k/yr

72%

Full Cost$80k/yr

Never

-17%

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 Return59%

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-47%

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

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$114,088

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$326k

Anthropology

BachCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,676

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

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$92,914

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

+$165k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$93,122

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

+$167k

Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1612

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$52,639

Natl Median: $49,429

Lifetime Value Added

-$148k

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

$27,000

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

East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1603

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,642

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$118,131

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$357k

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$74,214

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

+$22k

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

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$72,423

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

+$8k

International/Globalization Studies

BachCIP: 3020

Median Debt

$23,000

Earnings (4yr)

$71,280

Natl Median: $59,972

Lifetime Value Added

-$321

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$96,927

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

+$196k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$72,290

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

+$7k

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 (2yr)

$42,682

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

-$218k

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$99,165

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

+$213k

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$88,088

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

+$128k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$26,990

Earnings (4yr)

$74,095

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

+$21k

Religion/Religious Studies

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

$26,975

Earnings (4yr)

$76,301

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

+$38k

Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1604

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,169

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$26,449

Earnings (4yr)

$64,642

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$51k

Visual and Performing Arts, General

BachCIP: 5001

Median Debt

$22,375

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,688

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.