College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Central Coast College

Salinas, CA 569 Undergrads 71.5% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$33,524
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$28,749
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,218
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$28,749
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$45,218
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$45,918
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate71.5%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)23.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients61.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.0%

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
+$518k
+$114k
+$31k
Median Cost$29k/yr
+$491k
+$87k
+$5k
Full Cost$34k/yr
+$487k
+$83k
+$342

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$29k/yr
52
18%
Full Cost$34k/yr
63
1%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return104%

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-40%

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)
$53,481
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (4yr)
$42,141
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,573
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$8,598
Earnings (4yr)
$44,414
Natl Median: $34,862
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Try this program with your own numbers →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,460
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.