College ROI

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Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH 4,541 Undergrads 95.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$87,793
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,519
After Aid
Median Earnings
$111,883
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,519
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$111,883
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$97,434
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate95.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients14.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS85.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
5.4%
SAT Avg
1,534
SAT Reading
25th: 74074075th: 780
SAT Math
25th: 76076075th: 790
ACT Composite
25th: 333475th: 35

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
+$933k
+$466k
+$449k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$827k
+$360k
+$343k
Full Cost$88k/yr
+$617k
+$151k
+$133k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
29
323%
Full Cost$88k/yr
42
42%
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 Return170%

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-15%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$14,363
Earnings (4yr)
$70,846
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$16,520
Earnings (4yr)
$65,226
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$17,030
Earnings (4yr)
$87,026
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,477
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$18,490
Earnings (4yr)
$201,702
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$1017k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,132
Earnings (4yr)
$152,929
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$652k
Engineering Physics
BachCIP: 1412
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,154
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
$17,083
Earnings (4yr)
$113,749
Natl Median: $93,782
Lifetime Value Added
+$357k
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,090
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
$15,157
Earnings (2yr)
$35,420
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,663
Earnings (4yr)
$68,523
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,985
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$136,403
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$528k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,839
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$11,617
Earnings (4yr)
$168,580
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$769k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,612
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,078
Earnings (4yr)
$67,020
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$371
Median Debt
$18,061
Earnings (4yr)
$143,067
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$578k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$106,153
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,896
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,194
Earnings (4yr)
$99,344
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
+$247k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (4yr)
$81,722
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$239,178
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$1372k
Chemistry
MastCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,937
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Science
MastCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Genetics
MastCIP: 2608
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$186,380
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$934k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,367
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,751
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,653
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,173
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,482
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Genetics
DocCIP: 2608
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,123
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,822
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,435
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$210,783
Earnings (4yr)
$104,011
Natl Median: $112,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Public Health
ProfCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$116,416
Natl Median: $101,541
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k

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.