College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Charter Oak State College

New Britain, CT 1,821 Undergrads 58.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$23,210
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,815
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,128
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,815
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$62,128
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate58.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time34.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.7%

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
+$553k
+$86k
+$68k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$496k
+$29k
+$11k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$469k
+$2k
-$15k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
Median Cost$16k/yr
55
20%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-18%
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 Return66%

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-31%
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other
CertCIP: 4399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,396
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
CertCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,309
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,478
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,497
Earnings (4yr)
$82,069
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
BachCIP: 1110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,202
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$21,958
Earnings (4yr)
$72,446
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,098
Earnings (4yr)
$54,363
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,795
Earnings (4yr)
$52,803
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$30,906
Earnings (4yr)
$85,328
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k

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.