College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Carl Albert State College

Poteau, OK 1,215 Undergrads 46.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$14,477
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,855
After Aid
Median Earnings
$34,117
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,855
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$34,117
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate46.9%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients61.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time63.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS50.7%

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
+$346k
-$43k
-$138k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$334k
-$55k
-$151k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$320k
-$69k
-$165k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
Never
-1197%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-619%
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-998%

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-242%
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

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$258k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$8,324
Earnings (5yr)
$34,762
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$7,642
Earnings (5yr)
$36,410
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$26,417
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$6,750
Earnings (5yr)
$41,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$10,875
Earnings (5yr)
$71,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k

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.