College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Highlands College of Montana Tech

Butte, MT 343 Undergrads 32.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$16,138
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,184
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,329
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,184
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$54,329
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate32.0%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time83.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.7%

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
+$568k
+$243k
+$84k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$557k
+$232k
+$72k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$553k
+$228k
+$69k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
23
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
25
641%
Full Cost$16k/yr
26
459%
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 Return990%

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 Return174%
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/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
$2,750
Earnings (5yr)
$88,641
Lifetime Value Added
+$449k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,529
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,606
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,829
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,829
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k

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.