College ROI

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CUNY Stella and Charles Guttman Community College

New York, NY 978 Undergrads 45.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,510
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$3,091
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,840
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$3,091
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$41,840
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$49,845
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate45.5%
Peer Midpoint: 35.7%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age19.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients67.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time76.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS47.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$445k
-$79k
-$42k
Median Cost$3k/yr
+$439k
-$85k
-$47k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$424k
-$100k
-$63k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$3k/yr
Never
-833%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-297%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ 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

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-413%

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-114%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,364
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,803
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,311
Natl Median: $39,422
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$34,464
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Urban Studies/Affairs
AssocCIP: 4512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,051
Natl Median: $46,859
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k

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.