College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Haywood Community College

Clyde, NC 793 Undergrads 35.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$13,546
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$3,834
After Aid
Median Earnings
$34,770
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$3,834
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$34,770
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate35.9%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time48.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS51.6%

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
+$375k
+$50k
-$110k
Median Cost$4k/yr
+$371k
+$47k
-$113k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$362k
+$38k
-$122k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$4k/yr
Never
-3182%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-972%
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-1684%

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-369%
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)
$34,112
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Forestry
AssocCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,088
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,055
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,514
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
AssocCIP: 0306
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,143
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k

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.