McDaniel College

Westminster, MD 1,617 Undergrads 67.1% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$65,294

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$21,916

After Aid

Median Earnings

$65,855

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$21,916

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$65,855

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$60,663

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate67.1%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.9

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients35.2%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time99.2%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS74.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

77.9%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

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

+$582k

+$115k

+$98k

Median Cost$22k/yr

+$503k

+$36k

+$19k

Full Cost$65k/yr

+$347k

-$120k

-$137k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$22k/yr

24%

Full Cost$65k/yr

Never

-58%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
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-18%

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-69%

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 with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$24,500

Earnings (4yr)

$65,411

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

+$15k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$60,623

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

-$3k

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$20,000

Earnings (5yr)

$51,942

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$102k

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

BachCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,765

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$45,857

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$152k

Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1605

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,459

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$40,069

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$201k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$70,686

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

+$45k

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$32,925

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

-$244k

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

PB-CertCIP: 1304

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $88,516

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

PB-CertCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,260

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

MastCIP: 3011

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $67,618

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

MastCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,558

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Services, General

MastCIP: 4400

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,050

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Special Education and Teaching

MastCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$63,940

Natl Median: $64,397

Lifetime Value Added

-$128k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

MastCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,033

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Student Counseling and Personnel Services

MastCIP: 1311

Median Debt

$51,237

Earnings (4yr)

$67,374

Natl Median: $60,111

Lifetime Value Added

-$86k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$41,937

Natl Median: $59,916

Lifetime Value Added

-$309k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

MastCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$71,545

Natl Median: $63,707

Lifetime Value Added

-$62k

Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language

MastCIP: 1314

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,767

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. 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.