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Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 7,143 Undergrads 93.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$84,412
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,040
After Aid
Median Earnings
$91,565
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$19,040
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$91,565
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate93.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.6%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
6.3%
SAT Avg
1,550
SAT Reading
25th: 74074575th: 770
SAT Math
25th: 77078075th: 790
ACT Composite
25th: 343575th: 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
+$751k
+$355k
+$267k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$683k
+$286k
+$199k
Full Cost$84k/yr
+$448k
+$51k
-$37k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
31
290%
Full Cost$84k/yr
Never
-12%
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 Return68%
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%
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
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (2yr)
$16,663
Lifetime Value Added
-$383k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$105,677
Lifetime Value Added
+$318k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$105,943
Lifetime Value Added
+$319k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$107,563
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,907
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (2yr)
$102,409
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$128,449
Lifetime Value Added
+$487k
Engineering Science
BachCIP: 1413
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$109,116
Lifetime Value Added
+$343k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$15,050
Earnings (5yr)
$65,369
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$153k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$16,514
Earnings (5yr)
$88,187
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$9,644
Earnings (5yr)
$140,068
Lifetime Value Added
+$572k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$101,152
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$73,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$79,962
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,739
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$107,157
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$92,330
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$11,187
Earnings (5yr)
$62,840
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Public Policy Analysis
BachCIP: 4405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$338k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Social Sciences, General
BachCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$12,250
Earnings (5yr)
$90,203
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,128
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$60,000
Earnings (5yr)
$122,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$600k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$90,787
Earnings (5yr)
$176,932
Lifetime Value Added
+$1058k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$100,276
Earnings (2yr)
$48,823
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Community Organization and Advocacy
MastCIP: 4402
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$82,184
Lifetime Value Added
+$251k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$33,255
Earnings (2yr)
$49,683
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$35,410
Earnings (5yr)
$74,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Finance and Financial Management Services
MastCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$76,096
Earnings (5yr)
$172,725
Lifetime Value Added
+$1022k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$78,044
Earnings (5yr)
$177,317
Lifetime Value Added
+$1061k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,678
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$41,872
Earnings (5yr)
$131,905
Lifetime Value Added
+$677k
International and Comparative Education
MastCIP: 1307
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$60,500
Earnings (2yr)
$111,620
Lifetime Value Added
+$562k
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies
MastCIP: 5114
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$223,080
Lifetime Value Added
+$1442k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$53,550
Earnings (5yr)
$228,535
Lifetime Value Added
+$1486k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$40,464
Earnings (5yr)
$81,298
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$90,637
Earnings (5yr)
$122,896
Lifetime Value Added
+$600k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,668
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$77,250
Earnings (5yr)
$57,591
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$37,924
Earnings (5yr)
$53,405
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Theological and Ministerial Studies
MastCIP: 3906
Median Debt
$43,343
Earnings (5yr)
$56,066
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Doctoral Degrees
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$65,875
Earnings (5yr)
$130,527
Lifetime Value Added
+$449k
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
DocCIP: 2609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Religion/Religious Studies
DocCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,038
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Professional Degrees
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
ProfCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$69,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$139,857
Earnings (5yr)
$172,684
Lifetime Value Added
+$752k
Medicine
ProfCIP: 5112
Median Debt
$172,764
Earnings (5yr)
$112,986
Lifetime Value Added
+$322k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
ProfCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$68,800
Earnings (5yr)
$130,684
Lifetime Value Added
+$450k
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.