College ROI

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Athens Technical College

Athens, GA 3,318 Undergrads 39.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$16,672
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,929
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,994
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,929
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$44,994
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$40,154
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate39.6%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)25.2
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 Recipients50.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time23.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS53.3%

Admissions Profile

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

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 1 Year 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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$515k
+$111k
+$29k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$508k
+$104k
+$22k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$500k
+$96k
+$14k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
34
295%
Full Cost$17k/yr
40
88%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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 Return282%

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 Return15%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,081
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,662
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$32,372
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Data Processing
CertCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,061
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,001
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,040
Natl Median: $52,118
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,824
Natl Median: $47,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,061
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
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Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,230
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,347
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
CertCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,812
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
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Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
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Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,115
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,395
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,632
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
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Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$35,411
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,470
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$292k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,654
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,133
Natl Median: $51,859
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,983
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,960
Natl Median: $62,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,687
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,180
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,017
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,229
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,780
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,409
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,243
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
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Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,453
Natl Median: $41,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
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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.