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Dakota County Technical College
Rosemount, MN 2,083 Undergrads 47.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$15,792
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,140
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,938
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$11,140
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$51,938
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate47.5%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time63.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.6%
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
+$513k
+$124k
+$28k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$492k
+$103k
+$8k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$484k
+$95k
-$867
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
36
∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
51
38%
Full Cost$16k/yr
Never
-3%
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 Return108%
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-15%
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
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,639
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,018
Lifetime Value Added
+$194k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$6,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,953
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
$10,156
Earnings (5yr)
$79,675
Lifetime Value Added
+$364k
Human Resources Management and Services
CertCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,388
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,047
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,690
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,459
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$16,325
Earnings (5yr)
$54,934
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$18,599
Earnings (5yr)
$66,791
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$51,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
AssocCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$6,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,191
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,868
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,436
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,861
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$78,875
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,837
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$76,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,674
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
AssocCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,146
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,963
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
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.