Williams College

Williamstown, MA 2,076 Undergrads 95.5% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$84,860

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$17,716

After Aid

Median Earnings

$80,487

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,716

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$80,487

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate95.5%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age19.4

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients17.7%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time100.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS82.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

8.3%

SAT Avg

1,533

SAT Reading

25th: 740-75th: 780

SAT Math

25th: 750-75th: 790

ACT Composite

25th: 34-75th: 35

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

+$694k

+$227k

+$210k

Median Cost$18k/yr

+$630k

+$163k

+$146k

Full Cost$85k/yr

+$389k

-$78k

-$96k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$18k/yr

229%

Full Cost$85k/yr

Never

-31%

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 Return32%

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-56%

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 (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$43,501

Natl Median: $56,625

Lifetime Value Added

-$150k

Astronomy and Astrophysics

BachCIP: 4002

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $68,333

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$13,492

Earnings (4yr)

$65,357

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

+$30k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$51,050

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

-$86k

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

$12,208

Earnings (4yr)

$209,574

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

+$1117k

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

$12,925

Earnings (4yr)

$166,678

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$798k

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

$13,125

Earnings (4yr)

$69,065

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

+$59k

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

$11,850

Earnings (4yr)

$55,012

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$53k

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

BachCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$25,053

Natl Median: $60,190

Lifetime Value Added

-$301k

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)

$59,535

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$16k

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

BachCIP: 1601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,984

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

$13,807

Earnings (4yr)

$134,304

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

+$554k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,693

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

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

$10,750

Earnings (4yr)

$88,339

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

+$206k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$13,416

Earnings (4yr)

$72,891

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

+$88k

Religion/Religious Studies

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$49,644

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

-$81k

Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1604

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,169

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Social Sciences, Other

BachCIP: 4599

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$68,219

Natl Median: $56,812

Lifetime Value Added

+$73k

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Statistics

BachCIP: 2705

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $92,425

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Fine and Studio Arts

MastCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,079

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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.