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Grand Rapids Community College

Grand Rapids, MI 10,698 Undergrads 23.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$15,658
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,621
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,887
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,621
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$49,887
Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+30%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$38,377
Peer Midpoint: $40,451
Graduation Rate23.8%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age23.2
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 Recipients31.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time34.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.9%

Admissions Profile

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

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 Years 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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$531k
+$16k
+$47k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$515k
-$112
+$31k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$503k
-$13k
+$18k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
31
∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
37
196%
Full Cost$16k/yr
44
63%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return231%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return13%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,622
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,223
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$6,460
Earnings (4yr)
$39,288
Natl Median: $42,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,019
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$67,559
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Median Debt
$7,705
Earnings (4yr)
$40,542
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,140
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$6,460
Earnings (4yr)
$45,898
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,492
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
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,211
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,001
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,311
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$76,216
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$348k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,828
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,407
Earnings (4yr)
$51,480
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Median Debt
$4,240
Earnings (4yr)
$46,375
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$6,460
Earnings (4yr)
$51,318
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,062
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$35,632
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,001
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,403
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,401
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,042
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,293
Natl Median: $58,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,420
Natl Median: $54,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,600
Earnings (4yr)
$64,550
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Median Debt
$12,319
Earnings (4yr)
$45,302
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
$14,957
Earnings (4yr)
$52,414
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other
AssocCIP: 1599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,186
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,500
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,017
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,614
Earnings (4yr)
$36,584
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,615
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,350
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,094
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,277
Earnings (4yr)
$74,096
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.