Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut · Private Nonprofit · 3.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 97/100 · Exceptional Value
Yale scores 97 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale -- one of the highest scores on the site -- driven by a 3.6-year payback period, $67,800 median 6-year earnings, and a 95.7% completion rate. Median debt sits at $12,975, a low figure against a sticker tuition of $67,250. The net price of $23,777 reflects an aid program that does real work across income bands. Economics leads by graduate volume (182 graduates, $82,617 year-one, $142,936 year-four), while Computer and Information Sciences (164 graduates) hits $133,293 at year one and $188,157 at year four. The Yale credential does economic work that the Scorecard data only partially captures: the long-run wage premium, network density, and career optionality this degree opens -- in law, finance, consulting, policy, medicine -- are not fully visible in six-year earnings. History earns an A-grade ROI (96 graduates, $54,700 year-one, $109,947 year-four), which is unusually strong for a humanities field and reflects Yale's outsized placement into selective professional schools and financial services. At $67,800 median six-year earnings, the aggregate number looks modest relative to sticker price, but major mix matters heavily here: science-track students going to graduate or medical school depress the near-term figure significantly. The headline ROI is defensible, not inflated.
Graduates recoup their total investment in just 3.6 years. The national average for 4-year schools is closer to 8-10 years.
Yale University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $67,250/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $67,250/yr |
| Average net price | $23,777/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $95,108 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $100,533 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $67,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $12,975 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $138 |
| Estimated payback period | 3.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 95.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,758 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Yale University is $67,250/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $23,777/year, or roughly $95,108 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $17,633/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $45,951/year.
The median graduate leaves with $12,975 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $138 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $100,533 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.19 - well within manageable territory.
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 | $17,633 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,626 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,943 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,558 |
| $110,001+ | $45,951 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $17,633 net price per year at Yale -- higher than several Ivy peers in this cohort. The 30001-48000 bracket actually drops to $15,626, which is lower, reflecting a step in the aid formula. These figures suggest Yale's financial aid model is generous but not the most aggressive in the group: families in the lowest bracket pay more than at MIT ($-2,533), Chicago ($-1,264), or Penn ($-3,012). Low-income students who gain admission will find meaningful aid, but Yale is not the cheapest option for families at the lowest income tier within this cohort.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $17,943 -- slightly higher than the lowest bracket, reflecting the aid formula's step structure. The 75001-110000 bracket drops to $12,558, the lowest net price in the income schedule, which is an unusual inversion suggesting the aid model heavily favors families just above the middle threshold. Middle-income families earning $75,000-$110,000 face a $12,558 net price -- a genuine bargain for an institution with $67,250 sticker tuition.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $45,951 per year at Yale -- roughly $184,000 all-in over four years. At a 3.6-year payback period and $67,800 median 6-year earnings, the full-pay case is financially solid for graduates entering high-earning tracks (finance, consulting, tech). For students entering lower-earning fields -- public policy, teaching, environmental work -- the payback against $184,000 extends considerably. Full-pay is a real commitment at Yale, but the network and career optionality effects have long-run value the earnings data does not fully capture.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Yale University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $142,936 | A |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $188,157 | A |
| International Relations | $90,764 | B+ |
| History | $109,947 | A |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $92,646 | C+ |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $45,769 | B+ |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $65,752 | - |
| English Language and Literature | $62,440 | - |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $65,213 | B |
| Area Studies | $67,230 | - |
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 and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences is Yale's highest-earning program with meaningful volume: 164 graduates, $133,293 median earnings at year one, $188,157 at year four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.096 (ROI grade A) is among the best on this site -- graduates borrow a median $12,750 and earn over $130,000 almost immediately. The Yale CS pipeline flows into software engineering, quantitative finance, machine learning research, and a meaningful share of students proceeding to graduate school. The four-year trajectory to $188k reflects both career progression and the premium that a Yale credential adds in New York and Bay Area labor markets.
Economics
Economics is Yale's largest program at 182 graduates, and the outcomes justify the volume: $82,617 median year-one earnings and $142,936 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.160 (ROI grade A). Economics graduates from Yale move into investment banking, management consulting, policy roles at government agencies and NGOs, and graduate study at the most selective economics programs globally. The $142k four-year figure reflects the consulting and finance pipelines more than the policy track, where near-term earnings are lower but long-run trajectories are strong. Median debt of $13,250 is low relative to earnings velocity.
History
History earns an A-grade ROI at Yale: 96 graduates, $54,700 median year-one, $109,947 at year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.219 (ROI grade A) is unusually clean for a humanities field and reflects the Yale brand effect on professional school placement. History graduates from Yale go to law school, policy programs, finance, and consulting at rates that most universities cannot replicate -- the 4-year jump to $109k is direct evidence of that career arc. This is not typical humanities ROI; the Yale credential is doing the heavy lifting.
International Relations
International Relations (107 graduates) earns $57,466 at year one and $90,764 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.261 (ROI grade B+). Students interested in diplomacy, international development, policy research, and multilateral institutions cluster here. The four-year figure of $90k reflects placement into government, consulting, and international organizations rather than high-finance tracks. The B+ ROI grade reflects the lower near-term earnings relative to STEM fields, but the long-run career optionality for students targeting the public sector or law is not fully captured in Scorecard data.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences (27 graduates) earns $61,133 at year one and $113,788 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.258 (ROI grade B+). The four-year trajectory to $113k is strong for a general liberal arts designation -- Yale's interdisciplinary students end up in finance, consulting, tech, and graduate programs at rates that drive that figure. This program captures students who complete Yale's distributional requirements across a self-designed curriculum rather than a named major, and the outcomes confirm the Yale brand effect holds regardless of declared field.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 90.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 91.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 89.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 91.5% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 3.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 740-790 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 730-780 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 33-35 |
| Enrollment | 6,758 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 20.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $22,590 |
At 3.87%, Yale's admission rate places it at the most selective tier of American higher education. The SAT Math 740-790 and Reading 730-780 ranges describe the middle half -- roughly a third of admits are above that ceiling and a third below. ACT 33-35 composite is the parallel floor. Test scores are necessary but not sufficient: Yale's admissions process weighs achievement, character, and intellectual curiosity in ways that make it genuinely opaque. The college-blind financial aid policy (meeting full demonstrated need for all admitted students) means that cost should not be a disqualifier for families below $110,000.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Yale's Scorecard peer schools include Harvard (ROI 96), Duke (ROI 96), Vanderbilt (ROI 93), Albertus Magnus (ROI unlisted), and University of Bridgeport (ROI unlisted). Among meaningful comparables, Yale (ROI 97) edges Harvard (96) on overall score and has a comparable payback period (3.6 vs. 3.2 years for Harvard, though Harvard's median earnings at $91,300 are higher). Duke (96) has stronger median 6-year earnings ($93,200) than Yale ($67,800) but a 4.1-year payback versus Yale's 3.6. Yale's completion rate of 95.7% is strong across the group. Yale's median debt of $12,975 is the lowest in its named peer set, though Harvard's $14,000 and MIT's $14,768 are close. The differences between these schools at the top of the ROI distribution are narrow; the credential and network effects are the primary differentiator at this tier.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale University (this school) | 97 | $23,777 | $100,533 |
| Vanderbilt University | 97 | $15,846 | $91,565 |
| Harvard University | 96 | $19,066 | $101,817 |
| Duke University | 96 | $29,612 | $97,800 |
| Albertus Magnus College | 39 | $34,028 | $60,144 |
| University of Bridgeport | 27 | $27,807 | $50,323 |
Who Thrives Here
Yale admits 3.87% of applicants, making it among the most selective in the country. SAT mid-ranges are 740-790 Math and 730-780 Reading; ACT composite 33-35. At 6,758 undergraduates, Yale is one of the smaller research universities in this tier -- the residential college system shapes a tight-knit campus that reads very differently from large research universities. Pell grant rate of 20.4% is notably higher than many peers in this cohort, reflecting Yale's stated commitment to socioeconomic access. Students drawn to policy, law, humanities, and international affairs tend to cluster here; the program mix skews less toward STEM volume than MIT or CMU, though CS output is strong. Applicants without exceptional academic records or distinctive accomplishment outside academics should be realistic about their odds.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
Yale University is one of the strongest financial investments in higher education. With a total 4-year net cost of $95,108 and median graduate earnings of $100,533 ten years out, the math works decisively in graduates' favor. The estimated payback period of 3.6 years is well below average.
The data highlights several strengths: strong earnings premium over high school graduates, a 95.7% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $12,975 is very manageable against $100,533 in annual earnings - well within the financial advisor rule of thumb that total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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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.