College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Washington and Lee University

Lexington, VA 1,884 Undergrads 93.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$82,990
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,911
After Aid
Median Earnings
$94,810
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,911
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$94,810
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate93.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients10.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
17.4%
SAT Avg
1,504
SAT Reading
25th: 71072575th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 70074575th: 780
ACT Composite
25th: 323475th: 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
+$775k
+$379k
+$291k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$689k
+$293k
+$205k
Full Cost$83k/yr
+$477k
+$80k
-$8k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
32
238%
Full Cost$83k/yr
Never
-3%
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 Return86%

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-40%
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
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$106,739
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$109,628
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$91,744
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$23,399
Earnings (5yr)
$145,820
Lifetime Value Added
+$597k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,593
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,608
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,742
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,915
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$97,335
Earnings (5yr)
$108,151
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k

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.