College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, MA 2,169 Undergrads 84.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$84,926
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,441
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,450
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,441
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$54,450
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$58,418
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate84.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
36.0%
SAT Avg
1,463
SAT Reading
25th: 71070575th: 760
SAT Math
25th: 67070075th: 770
ACT Composite
25th: 323375th: 35

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
+$491k
+$24k
+$6k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$395k
-$71k
-$89k
Full Cost$85k/yr
+$185k
-$282k
-$299k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
56
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-94%
Full Cost$85k/yr
Never
-98%
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-91%

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-90%
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

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$21,053
Earnings (4yr)
$41,274
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Architecture and Related Services, Other
BachCIP: 0499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,161
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$365k
Astronomy and Astrophysics
BachCIP: 4002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,333
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (4yr)
$55,869
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Classical and Ancient Studies
BachCIP: 3022
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,477
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$120,021
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$415k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
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)
$38,289
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,051
Natl Median: $49,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$22,870
Earnings (4yr)
$48,984
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,843
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$378k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$23,447
Earnings (4yr)
$36,483
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (5yr)
$47,352
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$18,486
Earnings (5yr)
$73,787
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
BachCIP: 3013
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,941
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,525
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
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
$21,250
Earnings (4yr)
$43,204
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$24,875
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,451
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,045
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,269
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$23,828
Earnings (4yr)
$34,450
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,812
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$62,313
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$16,594
Earnings (4yr)
$61,921
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,384
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k

Other Programs

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
DegCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,308
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.