College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Randolph-Macon College

Ashland, VA 1,489 Undergrads 69.0% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$61,174
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$27,759
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,448
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$27,759
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,448
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate69.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
83.4%
SAT Avg
1,148
SAT Reading
25th: 530-75th: 630
SAT Math
25th: 510-75th: 580
ACT Composite
25th: 22-75th: 29

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
+$505k
+$108k
+$20k
Median Cost$28k/yr
+$405k
+$8k
-$80k
Full Cost$61k/yr
+$285k
-$112k
-$200k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
46
∞
Median Cost$28k/yr
Never
-80%
Full Cost$61k/yr
Never
-91%
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-76%

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-84%
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
$24,156
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$256k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,990
Earnings (5yr)
$62,791
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,066
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,198
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,823
Earnings (5yr)
$47,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,503
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,810
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,962
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,974
Earnings (5yr)
$51,332
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$295k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,739
Earnings (5yr)
$48,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k

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.