College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Cerritos College

Norwalk, CA 18,710 Undergrads 29.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$8,409
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$693
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,156
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$693
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$41,156
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate29.9%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time45.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS54.2%

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
+$439k
+$114k
-$46k
Median Cost$1k/yr
+$438k
+$113k
-$46k
Full Cost$8k/yr
+$431k
+$106k
-$53k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$1k/yr
Never
-7206%
Full Cost$8k/yr
Never
-686%
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-1135%

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-239%
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

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,500
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$14,752
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,013
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Biological and Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 3001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,951
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,832
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Communication and Media Studies
AssocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,794
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
AssocCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,689
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
History
AssocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,530
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,470
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,594
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,638
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,780
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$101,438
Lifetime Value Added
+$499k
Sociology
AssocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,979
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k

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.