College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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St Lawrence University

Canton, NY 2,040 Undergrads 81.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$79,665
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,561
After Aid
Median Earnings
$67,258
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$30,561
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$67,258
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate81.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
58.5%
SAT Avg
1,343
SAT Reading
25th: 63066575th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 62564575th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 293175th: 32

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
+$573k
+$176k
+$88k
Median Cost$31k/yr
+$463k
+$66k
-$22k
Full Cost$80k/yr
+$286k
-$111k
-$199k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
Median Cost$31k/yr
Never
-20%
Full Cost$80k/yr
Never
-69%
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-39%

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-76%
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
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$86,492
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,299
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
BachCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (2yr)
$13,702
Lifetime Value Added
-$453k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$82,561
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,845
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,351
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$87,196
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$77,943
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,649
Lifetime Value Added
-$360k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,549
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,039
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k

Master's Degrees

Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k

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.