College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Lewis & Clark College

Portland, OR 2,120 Undergrads 72.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$83,548
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$34,286
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,331
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$34,286
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$57,331
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$64,090
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate72.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients22.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS64.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.5%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -69075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -64075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -3075th: -

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
+$507k
+$37k
+$21k
Median Cost$34k/yr
+$384k
-$86k
-$102k
Full Cost$84k/yr
+$207k
-$263k
-$280k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
∞
Median Cost$34k/yr
Never
-83%
Full Cost$84k/yr
Never
-93%
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-82%

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%

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
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,503
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,026
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$407k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,567
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,705
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,788
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$367k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,783
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$360k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,222
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,771
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$420k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,288
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,120
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (4yr)
$52,622
Natl Median: $46,959
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,232
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k

Master's Degrees

Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,472
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
$64,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$125,509
Earnings (4yr)
$67,080
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Median Debt
$137,867
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,440
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,852
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,755
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Law
DocCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$137,681
Earnings (4yr)
$97,491
Natl Median: $105,518
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k

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.