College of Southern Maryland

La Plata, MD 4,512 Undergrads 26.5% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$13,681

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$9,204

After Aid

Median Earnings

$58,851

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,204

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$58,851

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate26.5%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients28.2%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time36.6%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS60.7%

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

+$618k

+$102k

+$134k

Median Cost$9k/yr

+$601k

+$85k

+$117k

Full Cost$14k/yr

+$593k

+$77k

+$108k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$9k/yr

690%

Full Cost$14k/yr

431%

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 Return927%

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 Return187%

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

Accounting and Related Services

CertCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,589

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

CertCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,272

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

CertCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,440

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

CertCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,984

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

CertCIP: 1110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,615

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

CertCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,702

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 1513

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,359

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 1504

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,202

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

CertCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $32,800

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ground Transportation

CertCIP: 4902

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,118

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

CertCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $35,447

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

CertCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $31,135

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

CertCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$8,262

Earnings (4yr)

$50,845

Natl Median: $44,906

Lifetime Value Added

+$93k

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

CertCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,365

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

CertCIP: 5139

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,073

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

CertCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,647

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

AssocCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,660

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

AssocCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,269

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

AssocCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection

AssocCIP: 4604

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,378

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

Business/Commerce, General

AssocCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$62,074

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

+$147k

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,472

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

AssocCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,243

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$80,349

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

+$312k

Computer Engineering

AssocCIP: 1409

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,316

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Programming

AssocCIP: 1102

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,070

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

AssocCIP: 1110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,726

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$60,563

Natl Median: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

+$122k

Education, General

AssocCIP: 1301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,787

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

AssocCIP: 1410

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,477

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering, General

AssocCIP: 1401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$81,793

Natl Median: $72,916

Lifetime Value Added

+$325k

Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other

AssocCIP: 1599

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

AssocCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $33,186

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

AssocCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,073

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs

AssocCIP: 5111

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,711

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Hospitality Administration/Management

AssocCIP: 5209

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,099

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,184

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$11,000

Earnings (4yr)

$44,271

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$26k

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,734

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General

AssocCIP: 3000

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,709

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

AssocCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,634

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician

AssocCIP: 1514

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $100,221

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

AssocCIP: 0907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,074

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$9,900

Earnings (4yr)

$77,355

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$285k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

AssocCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,162

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

AssocCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,656

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.