College ROI

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Trinity Washington University

Washington, DC 1,414 Undergrads 44.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$33,126
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,820
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,843
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,820
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$63,843
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$57,561
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate44.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age24.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients64.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time66.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
99.5%
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
+$559k
+$89k
+$73k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$513k
+$43k
+$27k
Full Cost$33k/yr
+$440k
-$30k
-$46k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
47
58%
Full Cost$33k/yr
Never
-39%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return22%

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-51%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$29,250
Earnings (4yr)
$66,772
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,879
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,708
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$30,534
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,430
Earnings (4yr)
$48,567
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,755
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,543
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
$106,318
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,934
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
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: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$91,234
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,824
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$98,882
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$93,107
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,852
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,961
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Median Debt
$69,085
Earnings (4yr)
$76,788
Natl Median: $71,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (4yr)
$79,785
Natl Median: $60,111
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,956
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k

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.