College ROI

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McDaniel College

Westminster, MD 1,617 Undergrads 66.9% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$68,105
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,980
After Aid
Median Earnings
$64,364
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,980
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$64,364
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,070
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate66.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
77.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$564k
+$93k
+$77k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$481k
+$11k
-$6k
Full Cost$68k/yr
+$318k
-$152k
-$168k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$23k/yr
Never
-7%
Full Cost$68k/yr
Never
-69%
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-38%

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-75%

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
$24,607
Earnings (4yr)
$93,347
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,470
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$391k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,025
Earnings (4yr)
$51,307
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,830
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$65,411
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
-$6k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,179
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$312k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,995
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,650
Earnings (5yr)
$53,032
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
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
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,321
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,264
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,409
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$272k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,607
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,851
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (4yr)
$50,185
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,383
Natl Median: $77,313
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,516
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,260
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,623
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,616
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
MastCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,618
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,050
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$46,738
Earnings (2yr)
$48,823
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
Median Debt
$47,832
Earnings (4yr)
$67,374
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,837
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,243
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
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. 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.