Private nonprofit · COLLEGE PAYOFF

Hamilton College

Clinton, NY · 10 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff

+$27,600 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.

9.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
+9%Modeled 10-year ROI
$77,354Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$27,600at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$295,9400
2
4
6
8
+$27,60010
Years after graduationBreak-even: 9.1 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$68,960
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$68,960
Sticker price
Average net price$28,985
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$84,230
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$28,985Average net price / year
$84,230Cost of attendance
$77,354Median earnings · year 5 after completion
90.6%Completion rate
13.6%Admission rate
2,030Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

94thEarnings percentile
92thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$47,320Year 1
$79,130Year 4
$77,354Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Economics · Bachelor's Degree$130,6332Political Science and Government · Bachelor's Degree$88,0193Mathematics · Bachelor's Degree$83,2114International Relations and National Security Studies · Bachelor's Degree$64,5855Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies · Bachelor's Degree$42,806

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in NY

Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Hamilton, NY

Colgate University

Annual net price
$28,786
Observed earnings · year 5
$78,336
Modeled 10-year ROI
+13%
Open college profile →
New York, NY

Barnard College

Annual net price
$28,800
Observed earnings · year 5
$79,860
Modeled 10-year ROI
+18%
Open college profile →
Garden City, NY

Adelphi University

Annual net price
$30,783
Observed earnings · year 5
$76,438
Modeled 10-year ROI
+4%
Open college profile →
Staten Island, NY

Wagner College

Annual net price
$28,241
Observed earnings · year 5
$80,303
Modeled 10-year ROI
+21%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
EconomicsBachelor's Degree$130,633$18,250
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$88,019$12,500
MathematicsBachelor's Degree$83,211$16,275
International Relations and National Security StudiesBachelor's Degree$64,585$19,000
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesBachelor's Degree$42,806Not available
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's DegreeNot available$12,200
Biology, GeneralBachelor's DegreeNot available$17,000
Neurobiology and NeurosciencesBachelor's DegreeNot available$15,500
Research and Experimental PsychologyBachelor's DegreeNot available$17,450
Public Policy AnalysisBachelor's DegreeNot available$17,000

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.