College ROI

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Gadsden State Community College

Gadsden, AL 3,548 Undergrads 34.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$10,254
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$2,125
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,404
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$2,125
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$47,404
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+26%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$37,485
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate34.4%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age23.6
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients62.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time55.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS47.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 1 Year 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
+$541k
+$137k
+$55k
Median Cost$2k/yr
+$539k
+$135k
+$53k
Full Cost$10k/yr
+$532k
+$127k
+$45k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
25
∞
Median Cost$2k/yr
26
2675%
Full Cost$10k/yr
28
475%
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 Return1028%

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 Return195%
Warning: Read this ROI with care. Most awards here are certificates, so the model prices a one-year program. The earnings figure covers every graduate, including those who finished longer associate programs that pay more. That mix can make the NPV, Social ROI and Pell ROI look much higher than a typical certificate student will see.

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: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,872
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Carpenters
CertCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,835
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,268
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,444
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,528
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $29,652
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,351
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
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Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,974
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,533
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Natl Median: $64,519
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,769
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$18,504
Natl Median: $27,014
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,904
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,500
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,801
Natl Median: $69,017
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,445
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,432
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,739
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$295k
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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.