College ROI

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Occidental College

Los Angeles, CA 1,877 Undergrads 83.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$88,656
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$37,470
After Aid
Median Earnings
$69,547
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$37,470
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$69,547
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$79,660
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate83.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
44.2%
SAT Avg
1,452
SAT Reading
25th: 69070575th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 69071075th: 770
ACT Composite
25th: 313275th: 34

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
+$604k
+$134k
+$117k
Median Cost$37k/yr
+$469k
-$1k
-$17k
Full Cost$89k/yr
+$285k
-$185k
-$202k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$37k/yr
Never
-13%
Full Cost$89k/yr
Never
-63%
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-29%

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-75%

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

Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$59,985
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
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Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$78,782
Natl Median: $81,496
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
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Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,006
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$15,427
Earnings (4yr)
$103,164
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$250k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,903
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$365k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$70,394
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$346
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Median Debt
$23,874
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,080
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$59,542
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
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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
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$72,441
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,779
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
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Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,598
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
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Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,562
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.