College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Willamette University

Salem, OR 1,525 Undergrads 73.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$62,112
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$23,663
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,911
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$23,663
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,911
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate73.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
79.1%
SAT Avg
1,339
SAT Reading
25th: 630-75th: 730
SAT Math
25th: 590-75th: 700
ACT Composite
25th: 27-75th: 32

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
+$493k
+$96k
+$8k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$407k
+$11k
-$77k
Full Cost$62k/yr
+$269k
-$127k
-$215k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-90%
Full Cost$62k/yr
Never
-96%
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-86%

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-87%
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)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$355k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,470
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$27,204
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$70,456
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$74,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (2yr)
$25,658
Lifetime Value Added
-$317k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$368k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$25,343
Earnings (5yr)
$49,142
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$17,375
Earnings (5yr)
$58,518
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,667
Lifetime Value Added
-$344k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$64,510
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$20,915
Earnings (5yr)
$67,123
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,547
Earnings (5yr)
$46,601
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,597
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$21,511
Earnings (5yr)
$41,614
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,791
Earnings (5yr)
$49,057
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$72,115
Earnings (5yr)
$104,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$439k

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$162,945
Earnings (5yr)
$90,169
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k

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.