College ROI

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Russell Sage College

Troy, NY 1,075 Undergrads 66.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$50,986
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,027
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,316
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,027
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,316
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate66.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
76.2%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$107k
+$19k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$421k
+$24k
-$64k
Full Cost$51k/yr
+$320k
-$76k
-$164k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
47
Median Cost$23k/yr
Never
-77%
Full Cost$51k/yr
Never
-89%
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-72%

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-81%
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

Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 2699
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (5yr)
$76,077
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$47,952
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$41,092
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,347
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,541
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Nutrition Sciences
BachCIP: 3019
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,513
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,995
Earnings (5yr)
$48,271
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$21,960
Earnings (5yr)
$81,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,727
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$35,864
Earnings (5yr)
$77,286
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,254
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$40,790
Earnings (2yr)
$55,286
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Psychology, Other
MastCIP: 4299
Median Debt
$38,374
Earnings (5yr)
$66,161
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$43,307
Earnings (5yr)
$124,141
Lifetime Value Added
+$603k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$72,332
Earnings (5yr)
$75,602
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,075
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,849
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k

Doctoral Degrees

Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$44,276
Earnings (5yr)
$183,476
Lifetime Value Added
+$816k

Professional Degrees

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
ProfCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$129,487
Earnings (5yr)
$76,255
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k

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.