College ROI

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Goucher College

Baltimore, MD 964 Undergrads 61.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$73,198
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,526
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,790
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,526
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$55,790
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$59,069
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate61.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.0
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS64.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
77.7%
SAT Avg
1,248
SAT Reading
25th: 56062475th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 53059975th: 645
ACT Composite
25th: 272875th: 30

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
+$495k
+$25k
+$8k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$403k
-$67k
-$83k
Full Cost$73k/yr
+$231k
-$239k
-$255k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-91%
Full Cost$73k/yr
Never
-97%
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-88%

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-89%

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

Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,402
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,752
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,039
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,727
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,333
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,735
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,114
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
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$288k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (4yr)
$44,901
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,206
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$329k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$25,357
Earnings (4yr)
$70,867
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,512
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,215
Earnings (4yr)
$69,904
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k

Graduate Certificates

Education, General
Gr-CertCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,448
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$54,920
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,507
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.