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Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga, CA 1,947 Undergrads 75.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$77,659
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,378
After Aid
Median Earnings
$74,325
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$30,378
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$74,325
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate75.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
86.5%
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
+$647k
+$180k
+$163k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$538k
+$71k
+$53k
Full Cost$78k/yr
+$367k
-$99k
-$117k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$30k/yr
44
49%
Full Cost$78k/yr
Never
-42%
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 Return12%
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-61%
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
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$107,570
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $91,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Archeology
BachCIP: 4503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,748
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,439
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$80,262
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,456
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$97,033
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$57,651
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other
BachCIP: 1699
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,580
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,418
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,501
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Mathematics and Statistics, Other
BachCIP: 2799
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,839
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,651
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,123
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Psychology, Other
BachCIP: 4299
Median Debt
$22,686
Earnings (5yr)
$65,376
Natl Median: $50,748
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,695
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 (5yr)
$70,004
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,625
Earnings (4yr)
$66,265
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$107,437
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$50,940
Earnings (4yr)
$161,500
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$718k
Business/Commerce, General
MastCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,988
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dance
MastCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$89,283
Natl Median: $55,404
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
-$222k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,166
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
MastCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,918
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
MastCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$25,711
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$509k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$35,233
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$66,300
Earnings (4yr)
$81,166
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$41,667
Earnings (4yr)
$73,293
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Graduate Certificates
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Gr-CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.