College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Cabrillo College

Aptos, CA 7,404 Undergrads 26.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$23,625
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,328
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,114
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,328
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$44,114
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate26.6%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time26.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.4%

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
+$440k
+$51k
-$44k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$416k
+$27k
-$69k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$397k
+$8k
-$87k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-280%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-202%
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-264%

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-109%
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)
$46,540
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,217
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$107,738
Lifetime Value Added
+$629k
Business/Commerce, General
CertCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,649
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Communication and Media Studies
CertCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,238
Lifetime Value Added
+$358k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$66,941
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$7,507
Earnings (5yr)
$42,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Psychology, General
CertCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,223
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$135,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$893k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
CertCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Sociology
CertCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k

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.