College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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CUNY Queensborough Community College

Bayside, NY 8,803 Undergrads 31.6% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$11,882
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,620
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,214
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$4,620
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$44,214
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate31.6%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time60.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.8%

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
+$441k
+$52k
-$43k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$433k
+$44k
-$52k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$419k
+$30k
-$65k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-609%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-298%
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-417%

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-117%
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

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,825
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,235
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$23,306
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$6,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,696
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,819
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$10,430
Earnings (5yr)
$45,732
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,467
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,866
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,394
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$6,750
Earnings (5yr)
$50,988
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,500
Earnings (5yr)
$39,305
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,363
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$14,750
Earnings (5yr)
$117,931
Lifetime Value Added
+$636k
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services
AssocCIP: 5135
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,667
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
AssocCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$20,816
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k

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.