College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, MA 2,198 Undergrads 85.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$77,545
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,562
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,418
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,562
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,418
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate85.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
38.3%
SAT Avg
1,422
SAT Reading
25th: 69070575th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 66070075th: 750
ACT Composite
25th: 313375th: 33

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
+$504k
+$108k
+$20k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$398k
+$2k
-$86k
Full Cost$78k/yr
+$225k
-$171k
-$259k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
Median Cost$30k/yr
Never
-81%
Full Cost$78k/yr
Never
-93%
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 Return-81%

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-87%
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 (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$272k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$376k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$51,299
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
Education, Other
BachCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,341
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$22,870
Earnings (5yr)
$42,639
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,357
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$389k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$23,447
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$332k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$23,625
Earnings (5yr)
$47,352
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$18,486
Earnings (5yr)
$73,787
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,525
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$127k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$23,828
Earnings (5yr)
$54,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k

Master's Degrees

Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$16,594
Earnings (5yr)
$53,962
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k

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.