College ROI

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Hope College

Holland, MI 3,288 Undergrads 80.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$57,570
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,392
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,578
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,392
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$63,578
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$65,961
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate80.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
79.2%
SAT Avg
1,249
SAT Reading
25th: 55061075th: 670
SAT Math
25th: 55060575th: 670
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
+$557k
+$87k
+$71k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$462k
-$8k
-$24k
Full Cost$58k/yr
+$350k
-$120k
-$136k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-25%
Full Cost$58k/yr
Never
-66%
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-32%

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-72%

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
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,253
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
$23,391
Earnings (4yr)
$54,538
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$65,755
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$21,934
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$291k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,166
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,116
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$15,182
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$425k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$82,513
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,445
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$332k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,972
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)
$39,470
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
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
$26,280
Earnings (4yr)
$62,936
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,499
Earnings (4yr)
$52,980
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,738
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,328
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,587
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,222
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,196
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,340
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,469
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,627
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k

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.