Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 40.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 77/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Brandeis University earns an ROI score of 77 out of 100, placing it in the Strong Value tier despite an eye-popping $68,080 sticker price. The story is one of aggressive financial aid: average net price drops to $35,736 and the all-in four-year total is $142,944, well below sticker. Graduates earn $47,000 six years out, climbing to $77,231 at the ten-year mark, with a 6.7-year payback period that is genuinely fast for a private research university. Median federal debt is $25,648, producing a 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio. The completion rate of 86.0% and the repayment rate of 86.4% are both excellent, indicating Brandeis selects well-prepared students and supports them effectively. The Boston-area location near major employers in finance, biotech, and tech drives strong outcomes, particularly in CS, Economics, and Mathematics.
Brandeis University scores in the top 16% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
Brandeis University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $68,080/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $68,080/yr |
| Average net price | $35,736/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $142,944 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $77,231 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $47,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,648 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $272 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 86.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,618 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $68,080/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $35,736/year, or roughly $142,944 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $13,363/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $54,885/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,648, which works out to about $272 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($47,000) and comes to 0.55, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $13,363 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,135 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,536 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,784 |
| $110,001+ | $54,885 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $13,363 in net price, the lowest in the grid, with the $30,001-$48,000 band paying $15,135. These figures reflect Brandeis's substantial need-based aid. Over four years, low-income families face roughly $55,000 in total cost against $77,231 ten-year median earnings, an excellent ratio.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $20,536 and the $75,001-$110,000 band pays $26,784. Both figures remain well below sticker and produce defensible four-year totals of roughly $80,000-$110,000. Middle-income families see a solid value at these brackets, particularly given the strong earnings outcomes.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $54,885, a sharp jump that reflects diminished need-based aid for affluent families. Even at this tier the figure stays below the $68,080 sticker, indicating some merit and discount dollars in play. Over four years, high-income families absorb around $220,000 in cost. For these families, Brandeis is a values and quality choice.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Brandeis University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $58,384 | C |
| Economics | $95,872 | B |
| Business Administration and Management | $108,405 | C+ |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $67,838 | D |
| Public Policy Analysis | $75,580 | C |
| Computer Science | $123,460 | B+ |
| International Relations | $74,018 | C+ |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $68,179 | D |
| Area Studies | $54,306 | C |
| International/Globalization Studies | $66,366 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer Science
Computer Science is Brandeis's standout program by ROI. 92 graduates per year earn a median of $80,431 in their first year out, climbing to $123,460 at four years. Median debt of $26,142 against those earnings produces a 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade.
Biology
Biology is Brandeis's largest program at 170 graduates. First-year earnings of $37,475 climb to $58,384 at four years, with $25,484 median debt producing a 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. Many biology grads route into medical school, dental school, or PhD programs, so four-year earnings understate the lifetime trajectory for the substantial graduate-school cohort. Strong fit for pre-health students.
Economics
Economics graduates 141 students earning $57,299 in year one and $95,872 at four years. Median debt of $25,295 yields a 0.44 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B grade. The program feeds Boston finance, consulting, and policy roles effectively. Mid-career earnings near six figures are exceptional for a humanities-adjacent major and reflect Brandeis's strong placement network.
Business Administration and Management
Business graduates 111 students with $55,806 first-year and $108,405 four-year earnings. The $26,000 median debt produces a 0.47 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ grade. The grade is suppressed by relatively high debt relative to early earnings, but the four-year trajectory is excellent. Strong placement into Boston-area corporate roles drives the result.
Public Policy Analysis
Public Policy graduates 101 students with $39,943 first-year and $75,580 four-year earnings. Median debt of $25,000 produces a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. Brandeis's Heller School and broader policy orientation drives substantial graduate-school feeding into Washington and state government careers, where four-year earnings reflect the post-graduate-school bump.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 80.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 86.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 84.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 90.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Brandeis University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 40.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 700-770 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 690-750 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 31-34 |
| Enrollment | 3,618 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 15.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $14,570 |
Brandeis admits 40.5% of applicants, marking it as genuinely selective. SAT mid-ranges of 700-770 in math and 690-750 in reading, plus an ACT mid-range of 31-34, indicate a well-prepared student body. The 86.0% six-year completion rate flows directly from this selectivity. Well-prepared students see strong outcomes here; the school does not admit students it cannot support.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandeis University (this school) | 77 | $35,736 | $77,231 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| Providence College | 76 | $48,523 | $87,054 |
| Gettysburg College | 75 | $31,490 | $71,517 |
| Dickinson College | 73 | $37,607 | $70,204 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
Who Thrives Here
Brandeis enrolls 3,618 students with a 15.0% Pell rate, marking it as a relatively affluent but socioeconomically diverse private research university. The 86% completion rate and high repayment numbers indicate students who land here finish and pay back their loans. Particularly strong for prospective students targeting CS, Math, or Economics.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, Brandeis University pays off. You'd pay about $35,736 a year after aid ($142,944 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $77,231 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 6.7 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: its 86.0% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $25,648 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $47,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Brandeis University: Common Questions
Is Brandeis University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Brandeis University pays off. It scores 77/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $35,736 a year after aid ($142,944 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $77,231 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 6.7 years to earn back.
How much does Brandeis University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $35,736 a year, or roughly $142,944 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Brandeis University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $77,231 ten years after enrolling, roughly $35,431 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Brandeis University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 6.7 years for Brandeis University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Brandeis University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,648, against average earnings of $47,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Brandeis University?
The six-year graduation rate is 86.0%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.