College ROI

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CUNY Lehman College

Bronx, NY 10,696 Undergrads 58.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$14,121
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$3,148
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,353
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$3,148
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$63,353
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$58,013
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate58.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age26.0
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 Recipients64.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time69.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
56.6%
SAT Avg
970
SAT Reading
25th: 440-75th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 410-75th: 560
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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$562k
+$96k
+$78k
Median Cost$3k/yr
+$551k
+$84k
+$67k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$512k
+$45k
+$27k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$3k/yr
36
589%
Full Cost$14k/yr
47
54%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return208%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return24%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$11,617
Earnings (4yr)
$66,240
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$10,663
Earnings (4yr)
$60,488
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$14,983
Earnings (4yr)
$52,420
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
$10,963
Earnings (4yr)
$62,496
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,413
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Median Debt
$10,710
Earnings (4yr)
$50,265
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,761
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$10,985
Earnings (4yr)
$85,351
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$23,522
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,012
Earnings (4yr)
$50,455
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,306
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,674
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Median Debt
$14,657
Earnings (4yr)
$56,907
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Median Debt
$10,065
Earnings (4yr)
$50,334
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,216
Earnings (4yr)
$57,722
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$12,897
Earnings (4yr)
$61,512
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Median Debt
$13,400
Earnings (4yr)
$73,936
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,025
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$15,745
Earnings (4yr)
$71,718
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,163
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$17,600
Earnings (4yr)
$43,165
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,020
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$8,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,063
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$13,936
Earnings (4yr)
$56,615
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Median Debt
$13,341
Earnings (4yr)
$119,115
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$492k
Median Debt
$9,142
Earnings (4yr)
$51,602
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$6,989
Earnings (4yr)
$57,143
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,955
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$11,045
Earnings (4yr)
$54,906
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$9,880
Earnings (4yr)
$57,091
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$26,164
Earnings (4yr)
$98,988
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,848
Earnings (4yr)
$84,988
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Median Debt
$38,404
Earnings (4yr)
$86,743
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
+$118k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$116,546
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$379k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,872
Natl Median: $66,523
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,644
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$17,310
Earnings (4yr)
$75,127
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Median Debt
$22,052
Earnings (4yr)
$144,722
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$623k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,728
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$29,986
Earnings (4yr)
$77,884
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,758
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$82,388
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Median Debt
$25,825
Earnings (4yr)
$78,311
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$87,910
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,469
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$32,350
Earnings (4yr)
$100,268
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
+$322k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$102,329
Natl Median: $69,147
Lifetime Value Added
+$341k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,178
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. 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.