College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Chattahoochee Technical College

Marietta, GA 8,727 Undergrads 30.4% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$12,532
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$3,407
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,209
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$3,407
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$45,209
Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$37,138
Peer Midpoint: $40,451
Graduation Rate30.4%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age25.9
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 Recipients42.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time39.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS53.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 Years 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)
⚠️ 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
+$485k
-$31k
+$587
Median Cost$3k/yr
+$479k
-$37k
-$6k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$462k
-$54k
-$22k

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
62
∞
Median Cost$3k/yr
Never
-91%
Full Cost$13k/yr
Never
-97%
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-56%

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-42%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, 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

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,224
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,811
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,840
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$23,459
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,914
Natl Median: $52,118
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,579
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,729
Natl Median: $43,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,617
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,732
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,833
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,330
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,763
Natl Median: $55,975
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,087
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$255k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,133
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,489
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,009
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,953
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,866
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,082
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,120
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,528
Natl Median: $58,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,250
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,693
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,941
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,082
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,409
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,017
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,053
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,607
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$88,335
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$394k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,780
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,044
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,976
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k

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.