Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Mount Holyoke College at a Glance
Mount Holyoke College is a private women's liberal arts college in South Hadley, Massachusetts, United States. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of historically women’s colleges in the Northeastern United States. The college was founded in 1837 as the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary by Mary Lyon, a pioneer in education for women. Mount Holyoke is part of the Five College Consortium in Western Massachusetts.
1837
189 years old
$1.2B
$1.18 billion (2025)
2,275
2,178 undergrad · 97 grad
218
2,000 acres
Identity
Is Mount Holyoke College Worth It?
Mount Holyoke College offers moderate value at $26,441/year net price. Graduates earn a median of $58,418, which is near the national average. Students should research specific program outcomes before committing.
The investment pays for itself in just 1.8 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
The 85% graduation rate means roughly 15% of students leave without a degree — taking on debt without the earnings boost that completion brings.
How Mount Holyoke College compares to peer private nonprofit colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #1 of 21 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mount Holyoke College | 47 | $26,441 | $58,418 |
| #2 | Bob Jones University | 45 | $16,641 | $44,354 |
| #3 | Macalester College | 44 | $32,149 | $63,878 |
| #4 | St. Francis College | 43 | $18,129 | $58,099 |
| #5 | Walla Walla University | 41 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
| #6 | Whitman College | 41 | $33,313 | $67,589 |
Peer group: private nonprofit colleges within ±60% of Mount Holyoke College's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%).
Best Programs at Mount Holyoke College
The highest-earning program at Mount Holyoke College is Political Science and Government at $38,300/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is History at $16,100/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Political Science and Government graduate from Mount Holyoke College earns $38,300, while a History graduate earns $16,100. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Political Science and Government graduates carry $18,875 in median debt vs. $18,227 for History.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $26,441/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Political Science and Government | $38,300 | $38,300 | $18,875 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $37,500 | $37,500 | $19,000 |
| Biology, General | $32,600 | $32,600 | $19,000 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $31,800 | $31,800 | $19,000 |
| Psychology, General | $29,800 | $29,800 | $19,875 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $29,600 | $29,600 | $17,500 |
| History | $16,100 | $16,100 | $18,227 |
Similar Colleges in MA
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- private
- Location
- South Hadley, MA
- Student Body
- 2,169 students
- Admission Rate
- 36%
- Graduation Rate
- 85%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $26,441
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $58,418
- Median Student Debt
- $22,902