College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Connecticut College

New London, CT 1,960 Undergrads 81.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$82,219
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$33,998
After Aid
Median Earnings
$75,001
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$33,998
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$75,001
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate81.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
38.3%
SAT Avg
1,412
SAT Reading
25th: 68071475th: 740
SAT Math
25th: 66069175th: 730
ACT Composite
25th: 313275th: 33

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
+$630k
+$233k
+$145k
Median Cost$34k/yr
+$507k
+$111k
+$23k
Full Cost$82k/yr
+$334k
-$63k
-$150k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
Median Cost$34k/yr
52
19%
Full Cost$82k/yr
Never
-51%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-5%

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-66%
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

Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$21,220
Earnings (5yr)
$61,500
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,045
Earnings (5yr)
$56,157
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$25,979
Earnings (5yr)
$70,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (5yr)
$109,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (5yr)
$57,334
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$25,605
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$227k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$24,425
Earnings (5yr)
$104,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (5yr)
$66,708
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$269k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$20,670
Earnings (5yr)
$60,689
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.