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University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 8,923 Undergrads 96.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$80,211
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$27,823
After Aid
Median Earnings
$99,980
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$27,823
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$99,980
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate96.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients12.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS92.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
12.4%
SAT Avg
1,510
SAT Reading
25th: 71073075th: 760
SAT Math
25th: 73075075th: 780
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
+$813k
+$417k
+$329k
Median Cost$28k/yr
+$713k
+$317k
+$229k
Full Cost$80k/yr
+$525k
+$128k
+$40k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$28k/yr
31
228%
Full Cost$80k/yr
53
14%
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 Return117%
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-30%
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
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$109,595
Lifetime Value Added
+$315k
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BachCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$98,886
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$28,419
Earnings (5yr)
$78,022
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$58,279
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$17,103
Earnings (5yr)
$90,787
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Biological and Physical Sciences
BachCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$84,885
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$67,689
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$93,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$113,065
Lifetime Value Added
+$341k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (5yr)
$94,259
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$383k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$149,206
Lifetime Value Added
+$608k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$79,598
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (5yr)
$81,608
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,555
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1603
Median Debt
$21,040
Earnings (5yr)
$81,750
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$120,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$394k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$114,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$354k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
BachCIP: 1414
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$138,141
Lifetime Value Added
+$526k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
BachCIP: 5111
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,444
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$18,800
Earnings (5yr)
$87,620
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$129,875
Lifetime Value Added
+$465k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$90,154
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Mathematics and Statistics, Other
BachCIP: 2799
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$130,029
Lifetime Value Added
+$467k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$99,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$18,910
Earnings (5yr)
$95,893
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1611
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
BachCIP: 3005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$20,793
Earnings (5yr)
$67,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$87,228
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,595
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,570
Earnings (5yr)
$67,822
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$78,861
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$19,800
Earnings (5yr)
$88,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
BachCIP: 3906
Median Debt
$18,400
Earnings (5yr)
$48,541
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Master's Degrees
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$79,525
Earnings (2yr)
$65,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Engineering Science
MastCIP: 1413
Median Debt
$44,331
Earnings (5yr)
$107,007
Lifetime Value Added
+$448k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Doctoral Degrees
Biology, General
DocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$100,949
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Mechanical Engineering
DocCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$87,754
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
DocCIP: 3906
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Professional Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
ProfCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$105,054
Lifetime Value Added
+$233k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
ProfCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$48,563
Earnings (5yr)
$184,920
Lifetime Value Added
+$809k
Business/Commerce, General
ProfCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$98,676
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Finance and Financial Management Services
ProfCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$42,692
Earnings (5yr)
$144,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$519k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$128,413
Earnings (5yr)
$153,320
Lifetime Value Added
+$581k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
ProfCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$149,024
Lifetime Value Added
+$550k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
ProfCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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.