College ROI

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Columbia Gorge Community College

The Dalles, OR 543 Undergrads 32.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,608
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,416
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,750
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,416
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$53,750
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate32.6%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients41.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time44.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.5%

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
+$569k
+$53k
+$85k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$550k
+$34k
+$65k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$535k
+$19k
+$50k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
Median Cost$10k/yr
31
342%
Full Cost$19k/yr
35
148%
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 Return384%

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 Return44%
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 and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,558
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,492
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,631
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
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Computer Science
AssocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,208
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,548
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$18,115
Earnings (4yr)
$100,430
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$490k
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.