College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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College of San Mateo

San Mateo, CA 7,359 Undergrads 31.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,875
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$1,504
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,172
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$1,504
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$54,172
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate31.4%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients14.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time27.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.6%

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
+$533k
+$144k
+$48k
Median Cost$2k/yr
+$530k
+$141k
+$46k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$511k
+$122k
+$27k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$2k/yr
32
1655%
Full Cost$12k/yr
39
122%
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 Return349%

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 Return52%
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

Associate's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,998
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Communication and Media Studies
AssocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,331
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
AssocCIP: 1204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,987
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$172k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$14,715
Earnings (5yr)
$135,534
Lifetime Value Added
+$794k
Social Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,134
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k

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.