College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Middlebury College

Middlebury, VT 2,785 Undergrads 93.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$82,260
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$25,934
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,310
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$25,934
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$76,310
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate93.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
10.4%
SAT Avg
1,500
SAT Reading
25th: 72072075th: 770
SAT Math
25th: 71073575th: 780
ACT Composite
25th: 333375th: 34

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
+$639k
+$243k
+$155k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$546k
+$150k
+$62k
Full Cost$82k/yr
+$343k
-$53k
-$141k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
Median Cost$26k/yr
42
66%
Full Cost$82k/yr
Never
-48%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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 Return1%

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-65%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$11,593
Earnings (5yr)
$59,026
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$150,031
Lifetime Value Added
+$621k
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other
BachCIP: 2399
Median Debt
$19,092
Earnings (5yr)
$66,610
Lifetime Value Added
-$35
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,639
Lifetime Value Added
-$289k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,446
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$116,041
Lifetime Value Added
+$370k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (2yr)
$42,188
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$11,900
Earnings (2yr)
$36,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$230k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$18,297
Earnings (2yr)
$41,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,256
Earnings (5yr)
$71,410
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,699
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k

Master's Degrees

Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$66,117
Earnings (5yr)
$56,458
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
International Business
MastCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,026
Lifetime Value Added
+$323k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$74,123
Earnings (5yr)
$99,255
Lifetime Value Added
+$385k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
MastCIP: 1601
Median Debt
$76,938
Earnings (5yr)
$84,793
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
MastCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$77,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$80,881
Earnings (5yr)
$80,208
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
MastCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$17,995
Earnings (5yr)
$62,818
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
MastCIP: 1314
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,136
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.