College ROI

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George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville

Hanceville, AL 4,413 Undergrads 42.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,748
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,042
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,842
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,042
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$39,842
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate42.5%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time53.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.4%

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
+$426k
+$101k
-$59k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$413k
+$88k
-$72k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$408k
+$84k
-$76k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-551%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-438%
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-704%

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-190%
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 Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$7,944
Earnings (5yr)
$36,628
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$25,174
Lifetime Value Added
-$199k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,908
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$9,771
Earnings (5yr)
$41,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,755
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$10,750
Earnings (5yr)
$46,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,894
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$8,750
Earnings (5yr)
$42,302
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Engineering Technology, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,619
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,991
Earnings (5yr)
$40,103
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,124
Earnings (5yr)
$66,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k

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.