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Stanford University
Stanford, CA 7,841 Undergrads 97.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$82,162
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,136
After Aid
Median Earnings
$124,080
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$12,136
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$124,080
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate97.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS88.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
3.9%
SAT Avg
1,553
SAT Reading
25th: 74074575th: 780
SAT Math
25th: 77077575th: 800
ACT Composite
25th: 343575th: 35
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
+$989k
+$593k
+$505k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$945k
+$549k
+$461k
Full Cost$82k/yr
+$694k
+$297k
+$209k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
24
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
26
1056%
Full Cost$82k/yr
38
71%
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 Return224%
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 Return1%
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
Applied Mathematics
BachCIP: 2703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$97,071
Lifetime Value Added
+$322k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,182
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$91,744
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
$7,500
Earnings (2yr)
$92,632
Lifetime Value Added
+$287k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$10,399
Earnings (5yr)
$247,797
Lifetime Value Added
+$1373k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$148,692
Lifetime Value Added
+$661k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$187,527
Lifetime Value Added
+$947k
Engineering-Related Fields
BachCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$168,931
Lifetime Value Added
+$810k
Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
$7,500
Earnings (5yr)
$122,212
Lifetime Value Added
+$465k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Human Biology
BachCIP: 3027
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$79,098
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$128,687
Lifetime Value Added
+$513k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$140,707
Lifetime Value Added
+$602k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$11,705
Earnings (5yr)
$73,221
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,396
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Science, Technology and Society
BachCIP: 3015
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,295
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Master's Degrees
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
MastCIP: 1402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$144,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$798k
Area Studies
MastCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$374k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$57,458
Earnings (5yr)
$283,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$1930k
Chemical Engineering
MastCIP: 1407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$99,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$465k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$34,030
Earnings (5yr)
$122,256
Lifetime Value Added
+$607k
Communication and Media Studies
MastCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$170,213
Lifetime Value Added
+$1014k
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$331,747
Lifetime Value Added
+$2299k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$32,500
Earnings (5yr)
$88,795
Lifetime Value Added
+$321k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
MastCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$230,373
Lifetime Value Added
+$1513k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$227,320
Lifetime Value Added
+$1489k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$78,114
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Mechanical Engineering
MastCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$161,655
Lifetime Value Added
+$941k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$122,038
Lifetime Value Added
+$669k
Doctoral Degrees
Education, General
DocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$101,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$312k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
DocCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$314,606
Lifetime Value Added
+$1739k
Mechanical Engineering
DocCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$150,874
Lifetime Value Added
+$687k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$153,302
Earnings (5yr)
$289,230
Lifetime Value Added
+$1573k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$71,477
Earnings (5yr)
$146,203
Lifetime Value Added
+$587k
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.