Back to Colleges
Austin Community College District
Austin, TX 25,969 Undergrads 14.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$11,156
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,306
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,177
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$6,306
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$43,177
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate14.8%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time30.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.9%
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
+$432k
+$43k
-$53k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$420k
+$31k
-$64k
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$411k
+$22k
-$73k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-556%
Full Cost$11k/yr
Never
-358%
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-523%
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-136%
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
Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,949
Lifetime Value Added
+$524k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$9,625
Earnings (5yr)
$76,652
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
American Sign Language
CertCIP: 1616
Median Debt
$10,127
Earnings (5yr)
$34,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Computer Programming
CertCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$58,221
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,930
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$8,462
Earnings (5yr)
$52,298
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
$15,721
Earnings (5yr)
$49,732
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,864
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,067
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
American Sign Language
AssocCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
AssocCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$36,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Biology Technician/Biotechnology Laboratory Technician
AssocCIP: 4101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,095
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$7,875
Earnings (5yr)
$56,234
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,130
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Carpenters
AssocCIP: 4602
Median Debt
$13,750
Earnings (2yr)
$45,529
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,744
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$7,348
Earnings (5yr)
$64,718
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$73,198
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
$10,550
Earnings (5yr)
$70,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$12,184
Earnings (5yr)
$42,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,732
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,414
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$19,939
Earnings (5yr)
$43,956
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,717
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$7,113
Earnings (5yr)
$75,765
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1505
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,840
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$34,822
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Graphic Communications
AssocCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,691
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,838
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
AssocCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$249k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,952
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$57,885
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$37,449
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$14,162
Earnings (5yr)
$75,886
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
AssocCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$10,105
Earnings (5yr)
$42,392
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
AssocCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$7,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$12,705
Earnings (5yr)
$47,997
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$10,450
Earnings (5yr)
$48,994
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,580
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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.