College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Great Basin College

Elko, NV 1,855 Undergrads 44.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$12,010
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,523
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,289
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,523
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$39,289
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate44.2%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time42.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.5%

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
+$420k
+$95k
-$64k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$413k
+$88k
-$71k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$409k
+$84k
-$75k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-1021%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-677%
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-1135%

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-259%
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

Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$113,066
Lifetime Value Added
+$685k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$100,823
Lifetime Value Added
+$569k

Associate's Degrees

Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$97,248
Lifetime Value Added
+$450k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,596
Lifetime Value Added
+$330k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,493
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,354
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$103,512
Lifetime Value Added
+$343k

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.