College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Dalton State College

Dalton, GA 4,419 Undergrads 36.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,292
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,694
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,251
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$4,694
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$40,251
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate36.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients53.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time60.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS64.9%

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
+$357k
-$39k
-$127k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$340k
-$56k
-$144k
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$317k
-$80k
-$168k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-852%
Full Cost$11k/yr
Never
-413%
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-586%

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-156%
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

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$9,007
Earnings (5yr)
$44,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,411
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,564
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,624
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,100
Earnings (5yr)
$58,722
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$8,454
Earnings (5yr)
$48,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$16,959
Earnings (5yr)
$49,581
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,922
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,267
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,406
Lifetime Value Added
-$136k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,708
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$13,208
Earnings (5yr)
$39,255
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$14,699
Earnings (5yr)
$91,520
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$15,700
Earnings (5yr)
$42,302
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k

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.