College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH 4,367 Undergrads 95.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$83,802
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$28,619
After Aid
Median Earnings
$97,434
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,619
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$97,434
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate95.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
6.2%
SAT Avg
1,533
SAT Reading
25th: 74074075th: 780
SAT Math
25th: 76076075th: 790
ACT Composite
25th: 333475th: 35

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
+$794k
+$398k
+$310k
Median Cost$29k/yr
+$691k
+$295k
+$207k
Full Cost$84k/yr
+$493k
+$96k
+$9k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$29k/yr
32
201%
Full Cost$84k/yr
61
3%
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 Return96%

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-37%
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
$14,363
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$16,520
Earnings (5yr)
$91,237
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$17,030
Earnings (5yr)
$75,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$18,490
Earnings (5yr)
$192,848
Lifetime Value Added
+$927k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,132
Earnings (5yr)
$153,295
Lifetime Value Added
+$635k
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
$17,083
Earnings (5yr)
$99,468
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$120,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$392k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$15,157
Earnings (2yr)
$35,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$95,866
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$11,617
Earnings (2yr)
$103,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$15,078
Earnings (2yr)
$36,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$18,061
Earnings (5yr)
$71,866
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$101,103
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,977
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (5yr)
$74,367
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$244,019
Lifetime Value Added
+$1590k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$197,142
Lifetime Value Added
+$1312k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
MastCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k

Professional Degrees

Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$210,783
Earnings (5yr)
$116,713
Lifetime Value Added
+$315k
Public Health
ProfCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$117,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$320k

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.