Diablo Valley College

Pleasant Hill, CA 15,358 Undergrads 32.6% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$16,774

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$8,312

After Aid

Median Earnings

$50,569

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,312

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (10yr)$50,569

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate32.6%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients18.7%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time40.6%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS60.5%

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

+$531k

+$22k

+$53k

Median Cost$8k/yr

+$515k

+$7k

+$38k

Full Cost$17k/yr

+$500k

-$8k

+$22k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$8k/yr

248%

Full Cost$17k/yr

72%

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 Return242%

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 Return10%

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

Accounting and Related Services

CertCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $44,589

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

CertCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $57,584

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 1002

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $33,223

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection

CertCIP: 4604

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

CertCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $47,440

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Commerce, General

CertCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $60,097

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

CertCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $43,761

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Programming

CertCIP: 1102

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $56,556

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

CertCIP: 1110

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $52,615

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

CertCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $57,702

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Culinary Arts and Related Services

CertCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $30,572

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications

CertCIP: 1106

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $39,476

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Data Processing

CertCIP: 1103

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $46,061

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

CertCIP: 5106

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $33,673

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 1513

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $53,359

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

CertCIP: 1603

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,213

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 4701

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $43,027

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

CertCIP: 5207

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $50,211

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

CertCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $36,104

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fire Protection

CertCIP: 4302

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $62,436

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations

CertCIP: 5218

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $52,001

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geography and Cartography

CertCIP: 4507

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $58,705

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

CertCIP: 1605

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $58,065

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Graphic Communications

CertCIP: 1003

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $32,130

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs

CertCIP: 5111

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $54,229

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

CertCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$31,122

Nat: $31,135

Lifetime Value Added

-$129k

Human Services, General

CertCIP: 4400

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $36,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

CertCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$47,992

Nat: $44,906

Lifetime Value Added

+$53k

Library and Archives Assisting

CertCIP: 2503

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $40,350

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

CertCIP: 1601

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $45,242

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

CertCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $43,365

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

CertCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $33,318

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Real Estate

CertCIP: 5215

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $46,762

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

CertCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $53,696

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

CertCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $37,647

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

AssocCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $47,660

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

AssocCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $65,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Anthropology

AssocCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $39,638

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1501

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $55,767

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Area Studies

AssocCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,846

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other

AssocCIP: 2699

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $41,337

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biological and Physical Sciences

AssocCIP: 3001

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $50,181

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

AssocCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $44,758

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection

AssocCIP: 4604

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $59,378

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$56,853

Nat: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

+$89k

Civil Engineering

AssocCIP: 1408

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $64,654

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

AssocCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$39,912

Nat: $43,243

Lifetime Value Added

-$76k

Computer Science

AssocCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$88,450

Nat: $62,283

Lifetime Value Added

+$374k

Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications

AssocCIP: 1109

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $54,971

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$59,444

Nat: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

+$114k

Culinary Arts and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $39,605

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Data Processing

AssocCIP: 1103

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $51,859

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5106

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $61,982

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

AssocCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $38,127

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

AssocCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $31,773

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

AssocCIP: 1603

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $42,764

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

AssocCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$60,076

Nat: $53,068

Lifetime Value Added

+$120k

Education, General

AssocCIP: 1301

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $41,787

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4701

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $63,241

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering, General

AssocCIP: 1401

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $72,916

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

AssocCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $36,134

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature/Letters, Other

AssocCIP: 2399

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $38,385

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

AssocCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $33,186

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

AssocCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $31,650

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fire Protection

AssocCIP: 4302

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $73,589

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1905

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $39,400

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geography and Cartography

AssocCIP: 4507

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $53,052

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

AssocCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $46,694

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Graphic Communications

AssocCIP: 1003

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $36,221

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health-Related Knowledge and Skills

AssocCIP: 3401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$45,397

Nat: $52,272

Lifetime Value Added

-$22k

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs

AssocCIP: 5111

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$54,934

Nat: $51,711

Lifetime Value Added

+$71k

History

AssocCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $38,929

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $34,184

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1506

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $73,593

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Journalism

AssocCIP: 0904

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $41,496

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Leisure and Recreational Activities

AssocCIP: 3601

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $36,796

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$39,995

Nat: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$75k

Library and Archives Assisting

AssocCIP: 2503

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $33,475

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

AssocCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $59,929

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mechanical Engineering

AssocCIP: 1419

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $72,444

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $40,734

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

AssocCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $34,056

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy

AssocCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $41,229

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physical Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 4001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$59,723

Nat: $49,076

Lifetime Value Added

+$117k

Physics

AssocCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $63,321

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

AssocCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$43,165

Nat: $45,147

Lifetime Value Added

-$44k

Psychology, General

AssocCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$48,309

Nat: $39,288

Lifetime Value Added

+$7k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

AssocCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $40,755

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

AssocCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$56,683

Nat: $44,144

Lifetime Value Added

+$88k

Special Education and Teaching

AssocCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $37,614

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

AssocCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $40,162

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

AssocCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $35,702

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Visual and Performing Arts, General

AssocCIP: 5001

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $32,799

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Other Programs

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

DegCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings

Nat: $56,308

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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.