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Tufts University
Medford, MA 6,804 Undergrads 94.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$84,600
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$35,435
After Aid
Median Earnings
$83,214
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$35,435
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$83,214
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate94.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients11.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS82.6%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
10.1%
SAT Avg
1,513
SAT Reading
25th: 71073575th: 760
SAT Math
25th: 75076075th: 790
ACT Composite
25th: 333475th: 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
+$690k
+$294k
+$206k
Median Cost$35k/yr
+$563k
+$166k
+$78k
Full Cost$85k/yr
+$386k
-$11k
-$99k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$35k/yr
41
61%
Full Cost$85k/yr
Never
-32%
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 Return30%
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-56%
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
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (5yr)
$76,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Biopsychology
BachCIP: 3010
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,131
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$115,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$168,606
Lifetime Value Added
+$723k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$17,850
Earnings (5yr)
$126,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$410k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$112,857
Lifetime Value Added
+$312k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$14,670
Earnings (5yr)
$63,266
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$35,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,116
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Human Computer Interaction
BachCIP: 3031
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$125,189
Lifetime Value Added
+$403k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$16,170
Earnings (5yr)
$61,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (5yr)
$80,548
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$16,250
Earnings (5yr)
$95,235
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$18,050
Earnings (2yr)
$41,937
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
BachCIP: 3005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$332k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,739
Lifetime Value Added
-$349k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$17,850
Earnings (5yr)
$76,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,710
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$73,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$15,200
Earnings (2yr)
$45,500
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (2yr)
$55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Master's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$131,618
Earnings (5yr)
$129,159
Lifetime Value Added
+$623k
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$70,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
MastCIP: 1405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$84,653
Lifetime Value Added
+$287k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,990
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$62,900
Earnings (5yr)
$73,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
MastCIP: 2613
Median Debt
$62,600
Earnings (5yr)
$90,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
$33,270
Earnings (5yr)
$159,091
Lifetime Value Added
+$877k
Fine and Studio Arts
MastCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,690
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$35,246
Earnings (5yr)
$69,122
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$54,446
Earnings (5yr)
$104,887
Lifetime Value Added
+$416k
Nutrition Sciences
MastCIP: 3019
Median Debt
$73,022
Earnings (5yr)
$73,169
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
MastCIP: 4499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,356
Lifetime Value Added
+$206k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$96,582
Earnings (5yr)
$111,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$469k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
MastCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$73,725
Earnings (5yr)
$66,317
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,912
Earnings (5yr)
$69,757
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Urban Studies/Affairs
MastCIP: 4512
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,585
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Graduate Certificates
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences
Gr-CertCIP: 5105
Median Debt
$244,730
Earnings (5yr)
$202,919
Lifetime Value Added
+$1433k
Professional Degrees
Dentistry
ProfCIP: 5104
Median Debt
$368,587
Earnings (5yr)
$158,932
Lifetime Value Added
+$594k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$218,623
Earnings (5yr)
$131,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$395k
Veterinary Medicine
ProfCIP: 0180
Median Debt
$206,815
Earnings (5yr)
$123,591
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
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.