College ROI

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Wheaton College (Massachusetts)

Norton, MA 1,744 Undergrads 75.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$76,819
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$30,934
After Aid
Median Earnings
$67,725
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$30,934
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$67,725
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate75.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients20.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
71.3%
SAT Avg
1,321
SAT Reading
25th: 62064075th: 720
SAT Math
25th: 59062075th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 293075th: 33

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
+$576k
+$180k
+$92k
Median Cost$31k/yr
+$465k
+$68k
-$20k
Full Cost$77k/yr
+$300k
-$97k
-$185k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
Median Cost$31k/yr
Never
-18%
Full Cost$77k/yr
Never
-67%
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-34%

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-75%
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)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$306k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$385k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,084
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,254
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$71,957
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,388
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$26,434
Earnings (5yr)
$46,505
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
BachCIP: 0502
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,918
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (2yr)
$26,739
Lifetime Value Added
-$333k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,139
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$25,990
Earnings (2yr)
$36,134
Lifetime Value Added
-$248k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,330
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,298
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$277k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,271
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$31,305
Lifetime Value Added
-$292k

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.