College ROI

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Mount St. Mary's University

Emmitsburg, MD 1,768 Undergrads 63.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$65,861
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,294
After Aid
Median Earnings
$64,982
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,294
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$64,982
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$69,690
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate63.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
73.8%
SAT Avg
1,176
SAT Reading
25th: 543-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 503-75th: 620
ACT Composite
25th: 19-75th: 27

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
+$568k
+$98k
+$82k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$499k
+$29k
+$13k
Full Cost$66k/yr
+$331k
-$139k
-$155k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
55
18%
Full Cost$66k/yr
Never
-65%
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-32%

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-74%

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
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$81,796
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,062
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$74,839
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,669
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
$24,173
Earnings (4yr)
$87,360
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
$60,428
Natl Median: $55,556
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,847
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,651
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,459
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,226
Earnings (5yr)
$76,101
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,563
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
$25,669
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,507
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$40,480
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,290
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,677
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Median Debt
$22,550
Earnings (4yr)
$59,630
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,563
Natl Median: $44,535
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k

Master's Degrees

Biotechnology
MastCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,682
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,744
Earnings (4yr)
$97,330
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$105,159
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$251k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,869
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,086
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$214k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,543
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,316
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$280k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,444
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.