Sarah Lawrence College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Sarah Lawrence College charges a net price of $41,437/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $165,748. Graduates earn a median $53,603 ten years after entry, $5,243/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 31.6 years — a 20-year net return of $-60,888, a weak return — the cost is hard to justify on earnings alone. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Sarah Lawrence College's 31.6-year payback ranks #1,138 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 11% of them, and #103 of 203 in New York.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $41,437/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $165,748 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $53,603 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $5,243/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 31.6 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $-60,888 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 4 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.