University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, VA 3,566 Undergrads 70.8% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$31,137

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$20,667

After Aid

Median Earnings

$59,661

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$20,667

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$59,661

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate70.8%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients21.1%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time86.9%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS76.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

79.8%

SAT Avg

1,272

SAT Reading

25th: 61063575th: 710

SAT Math

25th: 56059075th: 660

ACT Composite

25th: 272975th: 31

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

+$533k

+$66k

+$49k

Median Cost$21k/yr

+$459k

-$8k

-$26k

Full Cost$31k/yr

+$421k

-$46k

-$63k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$21k/yr

Never

-35%

Full Cost$31k/yr

Never

-57%

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-8%

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-57%

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

Certificates

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

CertCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$63,015

Natl Median: $44,906

Lifetime Value Added

+$195k

Bachelor's Degrees

Anthropology

BachCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$27,476

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

-$289k

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$22,150

Earnings (4yr)

$61,864

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$8k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$22,000

Earnings (4yr)

$72,382

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$73k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

$21,739

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1612

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$26,933

Natl Median: $49,429

Lifetime Value Added

-$294k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

$19,783

Earnings (4yr)

$95,461

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

+$250k

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$67,903

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$39k

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$20,000

Earnings (4yr)

$45,824

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$140k

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

$22,908

Earnings (4yr)

$44,357

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$153k

Geography and Cartography

BachCIP: 4507

Median Debt

$19,500

Earnings (4yr)

$53,081

Natl Median: $57,853

Lifetime Value Added

-$79k

Historic Preservation and Conservation

BachCIP: 3012

Median Debt

$21,000

Earnings (4yr)

$44,823

Natl Median: $49,728

Lifetime Value Added

-$149k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

$20,490

Earnings (4yr)

$54,625

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$67k

International Relations and National Security Studies

BachCIP: 4509

Median Debt

$25,043

Earnings (4yr)

$51,166

Natl Median: $66,596

Lifetime Value Added

-$95k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$21,221

Earnings (4yr)

$54,336

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

-$69k

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

BachCIP: 1601

Median Debt

$21,021

Earnings (4yr)

$53,282

Natl Median: $49,984

Lifetime Value Added

-$78k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

$22,875

Earnings (4yr)

$82,677

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

+$152k

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3899

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$51,174

Natl Median: $46,083

Lifetime Value Added

-$104k

Physical Sciences, Other

BachCIP: 4099

Median Debt

$22,433

Earnings (4yr)

$59,594

Natl Median: $63,096

Lifetime Value Added

-$26k

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

$23,000

Earnings (4yr)

$60,881

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

-$16k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$21,500

Earnings (4yr)

$53,388

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$77k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BachCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$12,250

Earnings (4yr)

$91,861

Natl Median: $88,910

Lifetime Value Added

+$222k

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$22,212

Earnings (4yr)

$58,224

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$37k

Visual and Performing Arts, General

BachCIP: 5001

Median Debt

$20,250

Earnings (4yr)

$41,509

Natl Median: $41,688

Lifetime Value Added

-$177k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$30,151

Earnings (4yr)

$113,022

Natl Median: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

+$316k

Education, General

MastCIP: 1301

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$58,149

Natl Median: $65,824

Lifetime Value Added

-$168k

Geography and Cartography

MastCIP: 4507

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $79,784

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$57,480

Natl Median: $59,916

Lifetime Value Added

-$174k

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.