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William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA 6,949 Undergrads 91.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$41,118
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,529
After Aid
Median Earnings
$73,490
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$22,529
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$73,490
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate91.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients12.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time99.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS83.6%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
32.7%
SAT Avg
1,458
SAT Reading
25th: 69572075th: 750
SAT Math
25th: 67072075th: 760
ACT Composite
25th: 323375th: 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
+$619k
+$222k
+$134k
Median Cost$23k/yr
+$538k
+$141k
+$53k
Full Cost$41k/yr
+$471k
+$74k
-$14k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
∞
Median Cost$23k/yr
43
66%
Full Cost$41k/yr
Never
-9%
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 Return76%
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-37%
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
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$15,041
Earnings (5yr)
$69,010
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$103,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$18,033
Earnings (5yr)
$80,208
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$19,794
Earnings (5yr)
$145,337
Lifetime Value Added
+$598k
Curriculum and Instruction
BachCIP: 1303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,696
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$86,782
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,255
Earnings (5yr)
$55,995
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,022
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$66,872
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,422
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$81,921
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$114,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$371k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,794
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$317k
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
BachCIP: 2615
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (5yr)
$62,323
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$18,312
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$76,102
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,924
Earnings (5yr)
$59,796
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Public Policy Analysis
BachCIP: 4405
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,860
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,703
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,242
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$52,625
Earnings (5yr)
$113,159
Lifetime Value Added
+$511k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,998
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,261
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Public Policy Analysis
MastCIP: 4405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$90,573
Lifetime Value Added
+$317k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$42,900
Earnings (5yr)
$56,301
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$46,388
Earnings (5yr)
$96,640
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$105,023
Earnings (5yr)
$109,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
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.