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Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA 2,273 Undergrads 83.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$82,902
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$37,607
After Aid
Median Earnings
$67,139
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$37,607
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$67,139Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$70,204Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate83.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients13.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS82.2%
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
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
+$592k
+$125k
+$108k
Median Cost$38k/yr
+$457k
-$10k
-$28k
Full Cost$83k/yr
+$294k
-$173k
-$191k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
32
∞
Median Cost$38k/yr
Never
-21%
Full Cost$83k/yr
Never
-64%
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 Return-29%
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-74%
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
-
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
$19,802
Earnings (4yr)
$63,874
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,103
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,378
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,603
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$330k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1605
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,699
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,990
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,570
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,409
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
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
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$18,402
Earnings (4yr)
$54,597
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
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
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,834
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,706
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Public Policy Analysis
BachCIP: 4405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,338
Natl Median: $73,721
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,045
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1604
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
BachCIP: 1309
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (2yr)
$44,356
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
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. 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.