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Community College of Aurora
Aurora, CO 3,250 Undergrads 18.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$17,275
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,656
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,722
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$8,656
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$51,722Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$44,592Peer Midpoint: $40,451
Graduation Rate18.7%
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 Age27.5
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 Recipients41.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time34.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.8%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity AnalysisAssuming 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.
⚠️ 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
+$549k
+$34k
+$65k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$533k
+$18k
+$49k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$518k
+$2k
+$33k
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.
⚠️ 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
29
∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
33
308%
Full Cost$17k/yr
38
105%
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.
⚠️ 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 Return305%
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.
⚠️ 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 Return27%
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.
⚠️ 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
Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,234
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,049
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,858
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
CertCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,690
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Software and Media Applications
CertCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
CertCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,614
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
CertCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,543
Natl Median: $32,800
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Fine and Studio Arts
CertCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,104
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,509
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,457
Natl Median: $45,242
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,195
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,706
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,434
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$332k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,903
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
AssocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Software and Media Applications
AssocCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,971
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,026
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
AssocCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$18,114
Earnings (4yr)
$37,661
Natl Median: $33,186
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,823
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Science Technologies/Technicians, Other
AssocCIP: 4199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,780
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,677
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
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.