College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Saint Michael's College

Colchester, VT 1,157 Undergrads 76.2% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$67,174
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,033
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,317
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$30,033
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$61,317
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate76.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients18.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
91.8%
SAT Avg
1,241
SAT Reading
25th: 600-75th: 680
SAT Math
25th: 550-75th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 22-75th: 30

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
+$527k
+$131k
+$43k
Median Cost$30k/yr
+$419k
+$23k
-$65k
Full Cost$67k/yr
+$285k
-$111k
-$199k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
39
Median Cost$30k/yr
Never
-60%
Full Cost$67k/yr
Never
-82%
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-62%

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

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$26,697
Earnings (5yr)
$57,135
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$26,303
Earnings (5yr)
$62,341
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$24,750
Earnings (5yr)
$72,531
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,142
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$337k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,265
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,434
Earnings (5yr)
$66,395
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,748
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,212
Lifetime Value Added
-$316k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,749
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k

Master's Degrees

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
MastCIP: 1314
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k

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.