College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Indian Hills Community College

Ottumwa, IA 1,635 Undergrads 42.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$14,774
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,492
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,507
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,492
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$40,507
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate42.6%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time84.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS64.4%

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
+$407k
+$18k
-$78k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$393k
+$4k
-$92k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$379k
-$10k
-$105k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
Never
-666%
Full Cost$15k/yr
Never
-387%
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-585%

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-161%
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 Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,285
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,300
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,351
Earnings (5yr)
$70,597
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,152
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,860
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
$12,620
Earnings (5yr)
$71,535
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
$14,375
Earnings (5yr)
$56,200
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,119
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$10,477
Earnings (5yr)
$59,523
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,381
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,915
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$17,334
Earnings (5yr)
$62,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,784
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k

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.