College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Dunwoody College of Technology

Minneapolis, MN 1,533 Undergrads 63.5% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$37,297
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$27,153
After Aid
Median Earnings
$73,175
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$27,153
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$73,175
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$69,458
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate63.5%
Peer Midpoint: 35.7%
Average Starting Age26.0
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 Recipients35.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS84.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.9%
SAT Avg
1,120
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 18-75th: 26

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
+$741k
+$217k
+$254k
Median Cost$27k/yr
+$691k
+$167k
+$205k
Full Cost$37k/yr
+$672k
+$148k
+$186k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
23
∞
Median Cost$27k/yr
26
410%
Full Cost$37k/yr
27
272%
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 Return619%

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 Return94%

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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,415
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,492
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,061
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,401
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,117
Natl Median: $55,403
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,519
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$73,691
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,398
Natl Median: $54,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,361
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,719
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$66,696
Natl Median: $70,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,752
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$78,525
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$266k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$70,886
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$197k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$64,209
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k

Bachelor's Degrees

Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,914
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$59,417
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,525
Natl Median: $95,124
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,176
Natl Median: $88,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k

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.