College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, PA 1,904 Undergrads 84.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$83,184
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$39,061
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,124
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$39,061
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$76,124
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate84.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
31.8%
SAT Avg
1,394
SAT Reading
25th: 658-75th: 730
SAT Math
25th: 640-75th: 730
ACT Composite
25th: 29-75th: 32

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
+$638k
+$242k
+$154k
Median Cost$39k/yr
+$497k
+$101k
+$13k
Full Cost$83k/yr
+$339k
-$58k
-$146k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$39k/yr
57
9%
Full Cost$83k/yr
Never
-49%
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 Return-1%

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-65%
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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$336k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$88,150
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,967
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$377k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,117
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$78,260
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,810
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$20,875
Earnings (2yr)
$38,337
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$23,083
Earnings (2yr)
$25,053
Lifetime Value Added
-$378k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$384k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (2yr)
$33,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$301k

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.