College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Essex County College

Newark, NJ 5,643 Undergrads 22.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$11,821
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,622
After Aid
Median Earnings
$37,230
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$4,622
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$37,230
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate22.1%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients57.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time47.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS50.5%

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
+$376k
-$13k
-$109k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$367k
-$22k
-$117k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$354k
-$35k
-$130k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-1380%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-600%
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-959%

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-227%
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

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,577
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,219
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,661
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,017
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,836
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,582
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,634
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
AssocCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,612
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,934
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5118
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$98,404
Lifetime Value Added
+$465k
Social Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,237
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,725
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,841
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k

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.