College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Imperial Valley College

Imperial, CA 6,881 Undergrads 39.2% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$12,466
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$1,697
After Aid
Median Earnings
$34,487
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$1,697
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$34,487
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate39.2%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients53.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time49.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS46.4%

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
+$350k
-$39k
-$135k
Median Cost$2k/yr
+$347k
-$42k
-$138k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$327k
-$62k
-$157k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$2k/yr
Never
-4418%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-688%
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-1116%

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-260%
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

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,047
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k

Associate's Degrees

Biological and Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 3001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,513
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,467
Lifetime Value Added
+$927
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,973
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,757
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
AssocCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,910
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Psychology, Other
AssocCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,147
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$91,048
Lifetime Value Added
+$406k
Social Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,267
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k

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.