Columbia College

Sonora, CA 1,984 Undergrads 23.9% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$19,870

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$11,316

After Aid

Median Earnings

$45,420

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,316

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$45,420

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate23.9%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients33.9%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time35.1%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS52.9%

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

+$487k

-$28k

+$3k

Median Cost$11k/yr

+$466k

-$49k

-$18k

Full Cost$20k/yr

+$451k

-$65k

-$34k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$11k/yr

Never

-87%

Full Cost$20k/yr

Never

-93%

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 Return-62%

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-61%

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

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,584

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

Culinary Arts and Related Services

CertCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $30,572

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

CertCIP: 5207

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,211

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fire Protection

CertCIP: 4302

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,436

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Forestry

CertCIP: 0305

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,345

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Hospitality Administration/Management

CertCIP: 5209

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,962

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

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

CertCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,561

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

Psychology, General

CertCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,285

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Special Education and Teaching

CertCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,019

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,586

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Anthropology

AssocCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,638

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)

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

AssocCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,243

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Culinary Arts and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,605

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

AssocCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,134

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

AssocCIP: 5207

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,095

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1505

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,148

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

Forestry

AssocCIP: 0305

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,725

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 5100

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,180

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

Earnings (4yr)

$31,449

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$160k

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

AssocCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,634

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

AssocCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,288

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

AssocCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,144

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

AssocCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,162

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,424

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.