Washington and Lee University

Lexington, VA 1,881 Undergrads 94.3% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$87,000

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$23,781

After Aid

Median Earnings

$100,514

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,781

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$100,514

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate94.3%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.4

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients11.3%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time100.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS86.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

14.0%

SAT Avg

1,498

SAT Reading

25th: 71072575th: 760

SAT Math

25th: 72074575th: 780

ACT Composite

25th: 333475th: 34

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

+$847k

+$380k

+$362k

Median Cost$24k/yr

+$761k

+$294k

+$277k

Full Cost$87k/yr

+$534k

+$67k

+$49k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$24k/yr

324%

Full Cost$87k/yr

16%

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 Return120%

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

$16,750

Earnings (4yr)

$118,946

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$417k

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$121,699

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$438k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1612

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,429

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$91,744

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

+$238k

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1603

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,642

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

$23,399

Earnings (4yr)

$115,837

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$393k

Engineering Physics

BachCIP: 1412

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $89,154

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering Science

BachCIP: 1413

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $93,782

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering, General

BachCIP: 1401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $89,359

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$37,593

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$209k

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

BachCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $60,190

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1605

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,459

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$100,087

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

+$274k

Journalism

BachCIP: 0904

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$79,742

Natl Median: $56,278

Lifetime Value Added

+$106k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$76,460

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

+$117k

Medieval and Renaissance Studies

BachCIP: 3013

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,941

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Neurobiology and Neurosciences

BachCIP: 2615

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,451

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

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$95,190

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

+$236k

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Religion/Religious Studies

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Research and Experimental Psychology

BachCIP: 4227

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,695

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology and Anthropology

BachCIP: 4513

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,959

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Professional Degrees

Law

ProfCIP: 2201

Median Debt

$97,335

Earnings (4yr)

$110,606

Natl Median: $107,773

Lifetime Value Added

+$87k

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. 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.