College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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College of Lake County

Grayslake, IL 9,282 Undergrads 32.9% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$10,969
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,212
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,424
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,212
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$43,424
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate32.9%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time39.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.8%

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
+$461k
+$137k
-$23k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$455k
+$131k
-$29k
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$451k
+$126k
-$33k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-502%
Full Cost$11k/yr
Never
-327%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-481%

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-123%
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

Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,670
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,512
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Biological and Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 3001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,698
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,994
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$6,461
Earnings (5yr)
$48,288
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$11,400
Earnings (5yr)
$77,613
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.