College ROI

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Emerson College

Boston, MA 3,870 Undergrads 79.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$80,399
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$49,180
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,925
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$49,180
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$55,925
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,832
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate79.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
51.3%
SAT Avg
1,358
SAT Reading
25th: 66066575th: 720
SAT Math
25th: 61063575th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 293075th: 32

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
+$503k
+$36k
+$18k
Median Cost$49k/yr
+$326k
-$141k
-$159k
Full Cost$80k/yr
+$213k
-$254k
-$271k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
47
∞
Median Cost$49k/yr
Never
-90%
Full Cost$80k/yr
Never
-94%
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-83%

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-88%
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

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,717
Earnings (4yr)
$59,202
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,496
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,760
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$252k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$49,951
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$23,610
Earnings (4yr)
$63,337
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,623
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,381
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Median Debt
$23,719
Earnings (4yr)
$59,301
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,550
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Median Debt
$23,776
Earnings (4yr)
$51,742
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,912
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,040
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$336k
Median Debt
$54,435
Earnings (4yr)
$74,005
Natl Median: $67,030
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,881
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$260k
Journalism
MastCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,294
Natl Median: $69,034
Lifetime Value Added
-$314k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$93,412
Natl Median: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Publishing
MastCIP: 0910
Median Debt
$44,360
Earnings (4yr)
$61,304
Natl Median: $63,992
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,485
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,493
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k

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.