College ROI

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University of Richmond

University of Richmond, VA 2,980 Undergrads 85.8% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$84,768
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$34,256
After Aid
Median Earnings
$90,424
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$34,256
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$90,424
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$92,362
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate85.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
22.2%
SAT Avg
1,497
SAT Reading
25th: 700-75th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 710-75th: 780
ACT Composite
25th: 33-75th: 35

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
+$760k
+$290k
+$274k
Median Cost$34k/yr
+$637k
+$167k
+$151k
Full Cost$85k/yr
+$455k
-$15k
-$31k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$34k/yr
35
122%
Full Cost$85k/yr
Never
-10%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return70%

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-45%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$112,202
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$330k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,820
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$280k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,564
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Median Debt
$23,809
Earnings (4yr)
$103,856
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,477
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,576
Earnings (4yr)
$112,621
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$333k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$24,286
Earnings (4yr)
$100,608
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,014
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
BachCIP: 5132
Median Debt
$22,375
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $87,441
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$92,389
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,266
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,344
Earnings (4yr)
$90,369
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$68,339
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$64,584
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,253
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,533
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,693
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$374k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$35,500
Earnings (4yr)
$131,832
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$455k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,094
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$94,838
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,705
Natl Median: $86,288
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
History
Gr-CertCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,756
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$123,875
Earnings (4yr)
$101,062
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k

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.