College ROI

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Amarillo College

Amarillo, TX 7,399 Undergrads 35.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$10,854
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,600
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,015
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$4,600
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$50,015
Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$41,302
Peer Midpoint: $40,451
Graduation Rate35.8%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age24.6
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients54.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time46.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS58.1%

Admissions Profile

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

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 Years to Graduation

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$533k
+$17k
+$48k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$524k
+$9k
+$40k
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$513k
-$3k
+$28k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
34
470%
Full Cost$11k/yr
38
142%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return389%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return66%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,933
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,351
Natl Median: $33,223
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Median Debt
$18,308
Earnings (4yr)
$45,793
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$22,026
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
Median Debt
$13,216
Earnings (4yr)
$45,751
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,999
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,658
Natl Median: $65,202
Lifetime Value Added
+$298k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,118
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,003
Earnings (4yr)
$62,068
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,858
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (4yr)
$50,708
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$13,304
Earnings (4yr)
$45,950
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$478
Median Debt
$12,817
Earnings (4yr)
$64,970
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,250
Natl Median: $44,758
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
$15,688
Earnings (4yr)
$45,584
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$25,503
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$214k
Chemistry
AssocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,597
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,168
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,447
Natl Median: $43,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Engineering
AssocCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,316
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,409
Natl Median: $58,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (4yr)
$44,946
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,259
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,391
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,773
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$92,611
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$431k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,336
Natl Median: $72,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,134
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,186
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,771
Natl Median: $52,962
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,924
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
$12,059
Earnings (4yr)
$39,030
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Mathematics
AssocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
AssocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,321
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$18,436
Earnings (4yr)
$37,684
Natl Median: $39,288
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
$17,586
Earnings (4yr)
$74,250
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$266k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,854
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,769
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,641
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,146
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$22,403
Earnings (4yr)
$37,711
Natl Median: $39,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,796
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,983
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,308
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.