College ROI

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Forsyth Technical Community College

Winston-Salem, NC 6,939 Undergrads 28.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,617
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,342
After Aid
Median Earnings
$34,139
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,342
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$34,139
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate28.9%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time33.0%
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
+$347k
-$42k
-$138k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$335k
-$54k
-$149k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$325k
-$64k
-$159k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-1284%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-746%
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-1218%

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-277%
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

Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$14,196
Earnings (5yr)
$31,492
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$14,677
Earnings (5yr)
$29,038
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$10,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,317
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$15,177
Earnings (5yr)
$43,696
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$13,611
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,228
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Graphic Communications
AssocCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$274k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,324
Earnings (5yr)
$38,787
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$19,427
Earnings (5yr)
$29,816
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,718
Earnings (5yr)
$73,441
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$9,164
Earnings (5yr)
$42,743
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k

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.