College ROI

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA 4,535 Undergrads 96.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$82,730
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$20,111
After Aid
Median Earnings
$161,961
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,111
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$161,961
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$143,372
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate96.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS95.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
4.5%
SAT Avg
1,560
SAT Reading
25th: 740-75th: 780
SAT Math
25th: 780-75th: 800
ACT Composite
25th: 34-75th: 36

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$1.3M
+$843k
+$826k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$1.2M
+$771k
+$754k
Full Cost$83k/yr
+$1.0M
+$546k
+$528k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
23
∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
25
1041%
Full Cost$83k/yr
30
177%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return427%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return64%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,724
Earnings (4yr)
$114,620
Natl Median: $98,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$397k
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,813
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$94,408
Natl Median: $86,713
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$111,738
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$375k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$142,355
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$585k
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$122,093
Natl Median: $98,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$454k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,874
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$11,077
Earnings (4yr)
$225,141
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$1220k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$110,878
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$403k
Median Debt
$10,967
Earnings (4yr)
$161,118
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$747k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,935
Earnings (4yr)
$147,998
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$649k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,069
Natl Median: $91,449
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,943
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$9,751
Earnings (4yr)
$174,951
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$851k
Median Debt
$11,507
Earnings (4yr)
$131,967
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$528k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nuclear Engineering
BachCIP: 1423
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,297
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
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$131,025
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$521k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$151,237
Natl Median: $122,434
Lifetime Value Added
+$648k
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$56,056
Earnings (4yr)
$87,003
Natl Median: $77,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$87,746
Natl Median: $74,139
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,398
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$258,152
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$1540k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,468
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$40,833
Earnings (4yr)
$100,130
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,276
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$199,245
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
+$1062k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
MastCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,034
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,282
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$45,290
Earnings (4yr)
$200,732
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$1074k
Nuclear Engineering
MastCIP: 1423
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $117,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Operations Research
MastCIP: 1437
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $161,561
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$110,878
Natl Median: $124,997
Lifetime Value Added
+$337k
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
$44,052
Earnings (4yr)
$227,052
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
+$1292k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$126,504
Natl Median: $138,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
Architecture
DocCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,586
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,233
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $102,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$189,144
Natl Median: $92,983
Lifetime Value Added
+$678k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $153,586
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$167,374
Natl Median: $131,848
Lifetime Value Added
+$518k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $149,621
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$184,436
Natl Median: $141,187
Lifetime Value Added
+$643k
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$137,404
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,533
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
DocCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cognitive Science
DocCIP: 3025
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,884
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $154,538
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$214,070
Natl Median: $157,305
Lifetime Value Added
+$857k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,285
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,845
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
DocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$167,643
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$496k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,176
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$112,923
Natl Median: $143,572
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Philosophy
DocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,449
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,908
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,108
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $162,438
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.