College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Washington College

Chestertown, MD 890 Undergrads 72.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$70,191
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$29,095
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,518
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,095
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$65,518
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate72.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS74.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
65.5%
SAT Avg
1,274
SAT Reading
25th: 605-75th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 580-75th: 655
ACT Composite
25th: 25-75th: 30

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
+$559k
+$163k
+$75k
Median Cost$29k/yr
+$455k
+$58k
-$30k
Full Cost$70k/yr
+$307k
-$90k
-$178k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$29k/yr
Never
-28%
Full Cost$70k/yr
Never
-70%
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 Return-40%

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-76%
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

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,938
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,950
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$83,160
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$82,557
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,777
Earnings (5yr)
$38,180
Lifetime Value Added
-$243k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,591
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,188
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$26,529
Earnings (5yr)
$52,253
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$66,538
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,852
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k

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.