College ROI

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College of Western Idaho

Nampa, ID 6,459 Undergrads 27.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$13,121
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,500
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,903
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,500
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$47,903
Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Graduation Rate27.5%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age26.3
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time38.2%
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
Assuming 2 Years 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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$512k
-$4k
+$27k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$496k
-$19k
+$12k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$488k
-$28k
+$3k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
46
75%
Full Cost$13k/yr
57
13%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return145%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return1%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,726
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,808
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,058
Earnings (4yr)
$58,764
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Median Debt
$3,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,605
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,089
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Median Debt
$7,375
Earnings (4yr)
$58,283
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,831
Natl Median: $49,492
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,553
Natl Median: $52,118
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,565
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,224
Earnings (4yr)
$42,484
Natl Median: $44,906
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
$7,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,870
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$7,898
Earnings (4yr)
$53,739
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,780
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,312
Earnings (4yr)
$36,746
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
$7,625
Earnings (4yr)
$66,176
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,886
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
AssocCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,638
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $45,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$208k
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$13,375
Earnings (4yr)
$50,658
Natl Median: $44,758
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,914
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,809
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,282
Natl Median: $43,243
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
$7,550
Earnings (4yr)
$51,584
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,971
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,507
Earnings (4yr)
$58,399
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Median Debt
$8,325
Earnings (4yr)
$49,622
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,926
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,575
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,134
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,052
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,933
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,180
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,460
Natl Median: $69,017
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
History
AssocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$10,250
Earnings (4yr)
$40,769
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,634
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Philosophy
AssocCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,229
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,247
Natl Median: $45,147
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Median Debt
$7,848
Earnings (4yr)
$46,366
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$7,560
Earnings (4yr)
$30,970
Natl Median: $39,288
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Public Health
AssocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,759
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$87,847
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$381k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,755
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
AssocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,791
Natl Median: $44,144
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$8,262
Earnings (4yr)
$41,881
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,346
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k

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.