College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Central Louisiana Technical Community College

Alexandria, LA 1,078 Undergrads 63.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$12,172
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,702
After Aid
Median Earnings
$34,374
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,702
Peer Midpoint: $17,334
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$34,374
Peer Midpoint: $34,461
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$29,558
Peer Midpoint: $31,599
Graduation Rate63.4%
Peer Midpoint: 68.7%
Average Starting Age26.4
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 Recipients67.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time78.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS48.9%

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$407k
+$15k
-$78k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$401k
+$10k
-$83k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$395k
+$4k
-$89k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-1568%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-788%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-1341%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-300%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
CertCIP: 4604
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$19,082
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Carpenters
CertCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,835
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,408
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Forestry
CertCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,345
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies
CertCIP: 5126
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$27,344
Natl Median: $27,180
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Mason/Masonry
CertCIP: 4601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $23,948
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services
CertCIP: 4605
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,996
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$5,250
Earnings (4yr)
$44,970
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,569
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Woodworking
CertCIP: 4807
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,664
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$30,999
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other
AssocCIP: 4799
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,607
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. 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.