College ROI

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The New School

New York, NY 6,563 Undergrads 69.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$88,284
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$58,741
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,719
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$58,741
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,719
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$52,901
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate69.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients15.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
63.5%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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
+$509k
+$42k
+$25k
Median Cost$59k/yr
+$298k
-$169k
-$187k
Full Cost$88k/yr
+$191k
-$275k
-$293k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
44
∞
Median Cost$59k/yr
Never
-88%
Full Cost$88k/yr
Never
-92%
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-81%

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-88%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$14,750
Earnings (4yr)
$66,896
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,595
Natl Median: $53,002
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $62,161
Lifetime Value Added
-$289k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$74,936
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,489
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,792
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,838
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$39,248
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$48,557
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,798
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,945
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,917
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$210k
Median Debt
$24,343
Earnings (4yr)
$62,976
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Literature
BachCIP: 2314
Median Debt
$22,497
Earnings (4yr)
$42,674
Natl Median: $46,173
Lifetime Value Added
-$304k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$32,930
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$388k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,181
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$343k
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (4yr)
$64,018
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Anthropology
MastCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$106,530
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,984
Natl Median: $74,139
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$120,471
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
Median Debt
$56,349
Earnings (4yr)
$90,410
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $79,665
Lifetime Value Added
-$323k
Median Debt
$53,304
Earnings (4yr)
$73,507
Natl Median: $71,953
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
$66,000
Earnings (4yr)
$113,315
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Median Debt
$42,587
Earnings (4yr)
$86,473
Natl Median: $70,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Median Debt
$103,045
Earnings (4yr)
$51,836
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$297k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$50,192
Earnings (4yr)
$51,394
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$301k
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Natl Median: $81,450
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Median Debt
$48,671
Earnings (4yr)
$70,655
Natl Median: $95,627
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$26,925
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$543k
Philosophy
MastCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,160
Natl Median: $64,711
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Median Debt
$61,796
Earnings (4yr)
$89,713
Natl Median: $93,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Publishing
MastCIP: 0910
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,992
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$48,899
Earnings (4yr)
$81,832
Natl Median: $75,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,958
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Sociology
MastCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,330
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,540
Natl Median: $76,897
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$34,598
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $111,527
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,190
Natl Median: $65,767
Lifetime Value Added
-$276k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,634
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
Gr-CertCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,175
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
Gr-CertCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,504
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Anthropology
DocCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,473
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$128,575
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
DocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Natl Median: $70,449
Lifetime Value Added
-$514k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,908
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $119,220
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,410
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
DocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,618
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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.