College ROI

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Georgia Piedmont Technical College

Clarkston, GA 2,198 Undergrads 35.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$20,467
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,185
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,137
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,185
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$45,137
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$40,636
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate35.8%
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 age (2015-17)29.5
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients67.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time33.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS52.9%

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
+$517k
+$113k
+$31k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$506k
+$101k
+$19k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$498k
+$94k
+$12k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
36
171%
Full Cost$20k/yr
42
61%
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 Return226%

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-3%

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)
$38,048
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,972
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,685
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,938
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$19,014
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$262k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Data Processing
CertCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,061
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,418
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,657
Natl Median: $52,118
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,854
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,061
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,363
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,102
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$26,724
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
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Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,356
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
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Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,208
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,553
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,959
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$82,162
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$311k
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Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,473
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
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Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,859
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,740
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
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Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,241
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,913
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,895
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,064
Natl Median: $54,425
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
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Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$25,832
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
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Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,780
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
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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.