College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Colorado Mountain College

Glenwood Springs, CO 2,821 Undergrads 31.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$13,717
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,342
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,127
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,342
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$44,127
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate31.4%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients24.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time42.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.0%

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
+$468k
+$144k
-$16k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$462k
+$138k
-$22k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$455k
+$131k
-$29k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-375%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-227%
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-302%

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-97%
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

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,693
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,767
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Hospitality Administration/Management
CertCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,895
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,067
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k

Associate's Degrees

Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,349
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$7,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,138
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,457
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$13,881
Earnings (5yr)
$46,083
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Sustainability Studies
BachCIP: 3033
Median Debt
$10,188
Earnings (5yr)
$38,053
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k

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.