College ROI

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Dickinson College

Carlisle, PA 2,273 Undergrads 84.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$85,984
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$28,634
After Aid
Median Earnings
$73,303
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,634
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$73,303
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$83,426
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate84.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS82.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
42.1%
SAT Avg
1,391
SAT Reading
25th: 670-75th: 740
SAT Math
25th: 640-75th: 720
ACT Composite
25th: 30-75th: 33

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
+$632k
+$162k
+$146k
Median Cost$29k/yr
+$529k
+$59k
+$43k
Full Cost$86k/yr
+$323k
-$147k
-$164k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
∞
Median Cost$29k/yr
46
41%
Full Cost$86k/yr
Never
-53%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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-10%

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-69%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Archeology
BachCIP: 4503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,748
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$63,874
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
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Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,103
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$22,625
Earnings (4yr)
$78,378
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
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Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$57,603
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$299k
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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
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,699
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
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Median Debt
$21,289
Earnings (4yr)
$84,990
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
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Median Debt
$18,910
Earnings (4yr)
$62,570
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
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Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
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Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,153
Earnings (4yr)
$54,597
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
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Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
$18,044
Earnings (4yr)
$59,834
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
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Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,706
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,338
Natl Median: $73,721
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,045
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,511
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
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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.