College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Estrella Mountain Community College

Avondale, AZ 6,424 Undergrads 24.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$17,366
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,211
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,356
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,211
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$44,356
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate24.0%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time36.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.0%

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
+$470k
+$146k
-$14k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$459k
+$134k
-$25k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$454k
+$130k
-$30k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-223%
Full Cost$17k/yr
Never
-186%
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-233%

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-92%
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

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,776
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,568
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Business/Commerce, General
CertCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,938
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
CertCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,659
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Fine and Studio Arts
CertCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,864
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,655
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
CertCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,991
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Natural Sciences
CertCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,832
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k

Associate's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,775
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,900
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,097
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,739
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Human Resources Management and Services
AssocCIP: 5210
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$7,419
Earnings (5yr)
$44,994
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,897
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$7,449
Earnings (5yr)
$80,098
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,265
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k

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.