College ROI

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Coastal Alabama Community College

Bay Minette, AL 4,798 Undergrads 25.2% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$18,994
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,098
After Aid
Median Earnings
$46,819
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,098
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$46,819
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$40,539
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate25.2%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age23.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time56.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS51.1%

Admissions Profile

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

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 1 Year 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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$535k
+$131k
+$48k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$525k
+$120k
+$38k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$517k
+$113k
+$31k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
30
371%
Full Cost$19k/yr
33
175%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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 Return443%

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 Return45%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,493
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,578
Natl Median: $55,886
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,485
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,444
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,424
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,221
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,017
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,578
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,085
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$10,062
Earnings (4yr)
$45,544
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Median Debt
$11,749
Earnings (4yr)
$70,731
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,204
Natl Median: $41,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k

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.