Sarah Lawrence College

Bronxville, NY 1,530 Undergrads 75.1% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$82,467

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$41,437

After Aid

Median Earnings

$50,184

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$41,437

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$50,184

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate75.1%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients12.7%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time98.7%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS55.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

61.7%

SAT Avg

1,366

SAT Reading

25th: 65071075th: 740

SAT Math

25th: 59065575th: 690

ACT Composite

25th: 283175th: 31

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

+$455k

-$12k

-$29k

Median Cost$41k/yr

+$306k

-$161k

-$178k

Full Cost$82k/yr

+$158k

-$308k

-$326k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$41k/yr

Never

-120%

Full Cost$82k/yr

Never

-110%

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 Return-111%

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-95%

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

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$23,500

Earnings (4yr)

$48,225

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

-$195k

Master's Degrees

Dance

MastCIP: 5003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,404

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

MastCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$26,353

Natl Median: $49,978

Lifetime Value Added

-$507k

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

MastCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,524

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

MastCIP: 5115

Median Debt

$41,000

Earnings (4yr)

$100,714

Natl Median: $59,571

Lifetime Value Added

+$170k

Public Health

MastCIP: 5122

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$47,260

Natl Median: $82,751

Lifetime Value Added

-$291k

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

MastCIP: 5123

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$45,406

Natl Median: $71,416

Lifetime Value Added

-$328k

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

MastCIP: 2313

Median Debt

$41,000

Earnings (4yr)

$51,084

Natl Median: $55,035

Lifetime Value Added

-$273k

Social Sciences, Other

MastCIP: 4599

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $64,286

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,916

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.