Muhlenberg College

Allentown, PA 1,727 Undergrads 80.5% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$77,270

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$28,905

After Aid

Median Earnings

$65,650

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,905

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$65,650

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$69,107

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate80.5%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age20.9

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients21.2%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time98.7%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS71.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

72.0%

SAT Avg

1,343

SAT Reading

25th: 64065075th: 710

SAT Math

25th: 61063575th: 700

ACT Composite

25th: 293075th: 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

+$580k

+$113k

+$96k

Median Cost$29k/yr

+$476k

+$9k

-$8k

Full Cost$77k/yr

+$302k

-$165k

-$182k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$29k/yr

Never

-8%

Full Cost$77k/yr

Never

-65%

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-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%

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

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$105,494

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$296k

Anthropology

BachCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$23,829

Earnings (4yr)

$58,473

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

BachCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$15,552

Natl Median: $43,765

Lifetime Value Added

-$429k

Finance and Financial Management Services

BachCIP: 5208

Median Debt

+$261k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$23,649

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

-$354k

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Neurobiology and Neurosciences

BachCIP: 2615

Median Debt

$26,280

Earnings (5yr)

$82,259

Natl Median: $62,451

Lifetime Value Added

+$107k

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physical Sciences, General

BachCIP: 4001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $68,944

Lifetime Value Added

BachCIP: 5122

Median Debt

$24,497

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,808

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Religion/Religious Studies

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,657

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.