College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Community College of Rhode Island

Warwick, RI 11,455 Undergrads 23.6% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$11,358
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,240
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,659
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,240
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$42,659
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate23.6%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time42.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS53.6%

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
+$427k
+$38k
-$58k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$417k
+$28k
-$67k
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$406k
+$17k
-$79k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-699%
Full Cost$11k/yr
Never
-376%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-557%

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-144%
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

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$9,657
Earnings (5yr)
$35,616
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,735
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,370
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,827
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$11,611
Earnings (5yr)
$67,178
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$9,052
Earnings (5yr)
$48,005
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,331
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,399
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,149
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,515
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,387
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$7,900
Earnings (5yr)
$41,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$79,309
Lifetime Value Added
+$296k
Special Education and Teaching
AssocCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.