College ROI

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Davidson College

Davidson, NC 1,901 Undergrads 91.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$75,865
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,127
After Aid
Median Earnings
$81,400
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,127
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$81,400
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate91.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients16.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS82.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
14.5%
SAT Avg
1,448
SAT Reading
25th: 690-75th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 670-75th: 760
ACT Composite
25th: 31-75th: 34

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
+$677k
+$280k
+$192k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$612k
+$215k
+$127k
Full Cost$76k/yr
+$404k
+$7k
-$81k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
34
195%
Full Cost$76k/yr
Never
-30%
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 Return35%

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-54%
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

Certificates

Anthropology
CertCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Biology, General
CertCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (2yr)
$31,670
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Economics
CertCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,625
Earnings (5yr)
$124,368
Lifetime Value Added
+$782k
English Language and Literature, General
CertCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,057
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
History
CertCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,075
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Political Science and Government
CertCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$78,431
Lifetime Value Added
+$346k
Psychology, General
CertCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,549
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
CertCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,240
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k

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.