College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Gateway Community and Technical College

Florence, KY 2,824 Undergrads 41.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$13,849
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,897
After Aid
Median Earnings
$36,147
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,897
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$36,147
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate41.7%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time38.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.6%

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
+$389k
+$64k
-$96k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$383k
+$58k
-$101k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$376k
+$51k
-$109k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-1851%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-845%
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-1451%

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-326%
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

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,723
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,249
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$11,595
Earnings (5yr)
$44,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$12,893
Earnings (5yr)
$60,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,156
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,796
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,213
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$11,675
Earnings (5yr)
$40,421
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,483
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,138
Earnings (5yr)
$74,820
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
Teaching Assistants/Aides
AssocCIP: 1315
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,002
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.