College of Alameda

Alameda, CA 4,487 Undergrads 20.9% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$18,185

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$8,496

After Aid

Median Earnings

$43,771

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,496

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$43,771

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate20.9%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients10.5%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time15.1%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS55.2%

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

+$471k

-$45k

-$14k

Median Cost$8k/yr

+$455k

-$61k

-$29k

Full Cost$18k/yr

+$437k

-$78k

-$47k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$8k/yr

Never

-188%

Full Cost$18k/yr

Never

-141%

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 Return-148%

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-77%

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

Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection

CertCIP: 4604

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

CertCIP: 5106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $33,673

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

CertCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,116

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

CertCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$48,794

Natl Median: $44,906

Lifetime Value Added

+$71k

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$29,663

Natl Median: $51,586

Lifetime Value Added

-$138k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

AssocCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,660

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Apparel and Textiles

AssocCIP: 1909

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,422

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biological and Physical Sciences

AssocCIP: 3001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,181

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $61,982

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

AssocCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,387

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

AssocCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $31,650

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

AssocCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,929

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$53,647

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

+$68k

Mathematics

AssocCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,929

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

AssocCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,147

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

AssocCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,288

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

AssocCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,641

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

AssocCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,144

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,424

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.