College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Allegany College of Maryland

Cumberland, MD 1,743 Undergrads 34.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$16,082
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,107
After Aid
Median Earnings
$38,476
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,107
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$38,476
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate34.1%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients45.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time46.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS58.0%

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
+$387k
-$2k
-$97k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$369k
-$20k
-$115k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$358k
-$31k
-$126k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-622%
Full Cost$16k/yr
Never
-428%
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-661%

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-179%
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)
$30,618
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,109
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
CertCIP: 5199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$25,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$11,750
Earnings (5yr)
$32,061
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$12,173
Earnings (5yr)
$45,380
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$16,375
Earnings (5yr)
$51,732
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$14,750
Earnings (5yr)
$28,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,803
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$15,182
Lifetime Value Added
-$320k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,606
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other
AssocCIP: 1599
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (5yr)
$34,067
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$11,879
Earnings (5yr)
$36,105
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Management Information Systems and Services
AssocCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,543
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,248
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$16,551
Earnings (5yr)
$71,930
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k

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.