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Community College of Denver
Denver, CO 5,096 Undergrads 15.9% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$19,550
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,450
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,984
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$9,450
Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$53,984
Peer Midpoint: $34,461
Graduation Rate15.9%
Peer Midpoint: 68.7%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients45.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time37.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.0%
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
+$619k
+$227k
+$134k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$610k
+$218k
+$125k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$600k
+$209k
+$116k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
22
∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
23
1431%
Full Cost$20k/yr
24
640%
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 Return1339%
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 Return251%
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
Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Architectural Sciences and Technology
CertCIP: 0409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,637
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
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
CertCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,790
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
CertCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,137
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,043
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Management Information Systems and Services
CertCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$56,748
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$12,532
Earnings (4yr)
$47,234
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,486
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$223k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,744
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,581
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,701
Natl Median: $34,862
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,927
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$299k
Architectural Sciences and Technology
AssocCIP: 0409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,403
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 Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$90,193
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$400k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,307
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$11,250
Earnings (4yr)
$50,401
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Management Information Systems and Services
AssocCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,991
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,845
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,364
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Science Technologies/Technicians, Other
AssocCIP: 4199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,780
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,591
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 0183
Median Debt
$8,906
Earnings (4yr)
$52,209
Natl Median: $41,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Bachelor's Degrees
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,896
Natl Median: $68,061
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
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.