College ROI

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Union College

Schenectady, NY 2,046 Undergrads 84.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$84,561
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$34,561
After Aid
Median Earnings
$81,583
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$34,561
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$81,583
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$88,604
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate84.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age19.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients13.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
43.9%
SAT Avg
1,395
SAT Reading
25th: 66067075th: 720
SAT Math
25th: 65069075th: 760
ACT Composite
25th: 293075th: 33

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
+$702k
+$235k
+$218k
Median Cost$35k/yr
+$578k
+$111k
+$94k
Full Cost$85k/yr
+$398k
-$69k
-$86k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$35k/yr
40
75%
Full Cost$85k/yr
Never
-28%
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 Return37%

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-54%
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

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (4yr)
$87,208
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$86,182
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$114,064
Natl Median: $77,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$341k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$99,783
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$233k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,392
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,259
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,195
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,848
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$300k
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$75,345
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$85,427
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (4yr)
$68,666
Natl Median: $62,451
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,389
Earnings (4yr)
$75,005
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Median Debt
$25,062
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
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.