College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Aiken Technical College

Graniteville, SC 1,911 Undergrads 24.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$12,798
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,350
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,225
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,350
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$39,225
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate24.4%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time34.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS54.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$419k
+$95k
-$65k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$414k
+$90k
-$70k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$408k
+$83k
-$77k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-1409%
Full Cost$13k/yr
Never
-647%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-1081%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-251%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,739
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,521
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,658
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
CertCIP: 5199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$233k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,897
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
CertCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,157
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k

Associate's Degrees

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$16,870
Earnings (2yr)
$63,600
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.