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Erie Community College
Buffalo, NY 5,906 Undergrads 31.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$12,475
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,358
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,228
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$6,358
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$41,228
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate31.2%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time73.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.5%
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
+$413k
+$24k
-$71k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$402k
+$13k
-$83k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$390k
+$1k
-$94k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-709%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-410%
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-621%
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-161%
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
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
CertCIP: 1110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$9,250
Earnings (5yr)
$76,162
Lifetime Value Added
+$335k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,738
Lifetime Value Added
+$145k
Precision Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4704
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,908
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
AssocCIP: 4604
Median Debt
$8,315
Earnings (5yr)
$46,747
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$8,655
Earnings (5yr)
$44,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Communication and Media Studies
AssocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$8,450
Earnings (5yr)
$56,462
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$6,862
Earnings (5yr)
$45,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
$6,439
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,513
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,458
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,719
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,342
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$11,450
Earnings (5yr)
$35,637
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,174
Earnings (5yr)
$35,615
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$11,792
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5118
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,250
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,324
Earnings (5yr)
$82,563
Lifetime Value Added
+$323k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$10,859
Earnings (2yr)
$33,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
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.