College ROI

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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: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,661
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$60,613
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate70.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.5
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
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
+$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
38
∞
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

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
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,933
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
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
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,824
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Median Debt
$22,908
Earnings (4yr)
$44,357
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,081
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
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
Median Debt
$25,043
Earnings (4yr)
$51,166
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
$21,221
Earnings (4yr)
$54,336
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,174
Natl Median: $46,083
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
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
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
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
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$41,509
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k

Master's Degrees

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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,784
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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 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.