College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Gaston College

Dallas, NC 3,359 Undergrads 44.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$16,008
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,752
After Aid
Median Earnings
$35,386
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,752
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$35,386
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate44.1%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients45.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time40.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS53.5%

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
+$381k
+$56k
-$103k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$376k
+$51k
-$109k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$366k
+$41k
-$118k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-2038%
Full Cost$16k/yr
Never
-796%
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-1363%

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-313%
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

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,459
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,372
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,912
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,493
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,171
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,366
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,084
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,239
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$25,429
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k

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.