College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, CO 28,086 Undergrads 23.9% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$23,744
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,745
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,707
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,745
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$60,707
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+63%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$37,180
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate23.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age33.4
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 Recipients65.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time59.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS50.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 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
+$541k
+$74k
+$57k
Median Cost$17k/yr
+$481k
+$14k
-$3k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$456k
-$11k
-$28k

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
37
Median Cost$17k/yr
Never
-5%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-33%
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 Return39%

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 Return-39%
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.

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,887
Earnings (4yr)
$41,090
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,781
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,691
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
$16,550
Earnings (4yr)
$65,552
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$32,195
Earnings (4yr)
$35,294
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$34,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,068
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
$33,682
Earnings (4yr)
$65,877
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Median Debt
$40,050
Earnings (4yr)
$41,964
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Median Debt
$38,624
Earnings (4yr)
$78,606
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $109,015
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,337
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Median Debt
$34,826
Earnings (4yr)
$84,277
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Median Debt
$42,671
Earnings (4yr)
$46,981
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$37,994
Earnings (4yr)
$48,816
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,613
Earnings (4yr)
$95,519
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,805
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,101
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
$40,236
Earnings (4yr)
$67,660
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Median Debt
$38,361
Earnings (4yr)
$101,101
Natl Median: $124,201
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$32,231
Earnings (4yr)
$126,865
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
+$443k
Median Debt
$40,635
Earnings (4yr)
$98,538
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,581
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,287
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,872
Natl Median: $96,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Median Debt
$27,006
Earnings (4yr)
$103,076
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$89,530
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
$82,000
Earnings (4yr)
$99,321
Natl Median: $113,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $154,538
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
DocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$71,834
Earnings (4yr)
$165,750
Natl Median: $178,476
Lifetime Value Added
+$518k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,427
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 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.