College ROI

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Dallas College

Dallas, TX 43,869 Undergrads 25.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$23,698
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$16,414
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,368
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$16,414
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$54,368
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$44,572
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate25.4%
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 age (2015-17)27.0
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time32.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.3%

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
+$567k
+$43k
+$81k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$537k
+$13k
+$51k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$524k
-$228
+$37k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
34
168%
Full Cost$24k/yr
38
86%
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 Return261%

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 Return6%

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 →

Certificates

Median Debt
$10,257
Earnings (4yr)
$52,856
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,229
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$96,310
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
Not scored

Not scored. Graduates of this program earn more than graduates of the school's associate degree in the same field, and about 1.7× the national median for this credential. That usually means students arrived already holding a degree or years of work experience. Our model assumes a student starting right after high school, so it can't measure what this program added. Earnings are as reported by the College Scorecard. Run it with your own cost and expected pay →

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
CertCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,219
Natl Median: $33,223
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
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Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,098
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,766
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,097
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$10,485
Earnings (4yr)
$58,181
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,810
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,993
Natl Median: $50,162
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
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Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
CertCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,708
Natl Median: $57,671
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
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Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$48,422
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
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Median Debt
$9,280
Earnings (4yr)
$44,490
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
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Data Processing
CertCIP: 1103
Median Debt
$17,740
Earnings (4yr)
$50,824
Natl Median: $46,061
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$23,376
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,406
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$84,705
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$427k
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Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,987
Natl Median: $49,492
Lifetime Value Added
+$284k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,397
Natl Median: $53,418
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
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Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,130
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,866
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,225
Natl Median: $43,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
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Median Debt
$10,118
Earnings (4yr)
$50,877
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,907
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,445
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$356k
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Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,005
Earnings (4yr)
$30,620
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
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Music
CertCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,373
Natl Median: $33,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,483
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
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Real Estate
CertCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$9,962
Earnings (4yr)
$44,318
Natl Median: $46,762
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
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Social Work
CertCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,847
Natl Median: $40,127
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
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Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$6,519
Earnings (4yr)
$52,091
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
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Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (4yr)
$42,050
Natl Median: $34,862
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
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Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,906
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
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Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (4yr)
$84,351
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$338k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,875
Earnings (4yr)
$55,669
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,109
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
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Median Debt
$7,250
Earnings (4yr)
$58,548
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,071
Natl Median: $43,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
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Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,663
Natl Median: $58,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
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Computer Science
AssocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,305
Natl Median: $54,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
AssocCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,927
Natl Median: $71,367
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
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Median Debt
$14,596
Earnings (4yr)
$48,751
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,490
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
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Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,837
Natl Median: $51,859
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
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Median Debt
$12,936
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,809
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,208
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,913
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$33,606
Natl Median: $36,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,029
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,328
Earnings (4yr)
$49,117
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
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Median Debt
$9,627
Earnings (4yr)
$48,725
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
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Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,181
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,378
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Real Estate
AssocCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,327
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,017
Earnings (4yr)
$86,238
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$354k
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Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$16,274
Earnings (5yr)
$45,279
Natl Median: $39,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,002
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,424
Earnings (4yr)
$51,714
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
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Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,937
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
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Median Debt
$10,461
Earnings (4yr)
$47,111
Natl Median: $41,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
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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.