College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Arapahoe Community College

Littleton, CO 5,392 Undergrads 26.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$16,348
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,790
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,341
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,790
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$48,341
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate26.4%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time32.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.2%

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
+$510k
+$185k
+$25k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$500k
+$175k
+$15k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$495k
+$170k
+$10k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
30
Median Cost$11k/yr
37
154%
Full Cost$16k/yr
42
67%
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 Return245%

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 Return10%
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

Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,832
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,059
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,299
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$53,358
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$15,125
Earnings (5yr)
$44,854
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
AssocCIP: 1203
Median Debt
$15,485
Earnings (5yr)
$42,016
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$18,988
Earnings (5yr)
$51,957
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$10,250
Earnings (5yr)
$51,444
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$13,750
Earnings (5yr)
$45,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$18,250
Earnings (5yr)
$82,903
Lifetime Value Added
+$318k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,480
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k

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.