College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Cerro Coso Community College

Ridgecrest, CA 3,171 Undergrads 14.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$25,300
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,306
After Aid
Median Earnings
$57,300
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,306
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$57,300
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate14.7%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time20.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS48.8%

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
+$603k
+$88k
+$119k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$570k
+$54k
+$85k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$557k
+$41k
+$72k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
Median Cost$18k/yr
30
253%
Full Cost$25k/yr
33
156%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return395%

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 Return40%
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Biological and Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 3001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,181
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
AssocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,134
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,422
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mathematics
AssocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
AssocCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,755
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.