College ROI

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Gordon College

Wenham, MA 1,278 Undergrads 69.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$45,497
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,227
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,730
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,227
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,730
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$59,863
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate69.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)19.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
69.2%
SAT Avg
1,265
SAT Reading
25th: 58064075th: 695
SAT Math
25th: 55061075th: 660
ACT Composite
25th: 252875th: 31

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
+$32k
+$16k
Median Cost$25k/yr
+$412k
-$58k
-$75k
Full Cost$45k/yr
+$339k
-$131k
-$148k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
48
∞
Median Cost$25k/yr
Never
-82%
Full Cost$45k/yr
Never
-90%
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-72%

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-80%

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

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,851
Earnings (2yr)
$27,681
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$305k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,576
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,723
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
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
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,918
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,495
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$83,184
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,577
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,205
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,475
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,479
Natl Median: $50,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,173
Natl Median: $42,915
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$63,974
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,315
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (4yr)
$48,928
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,429
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,374
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.