College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Iowa Western Community College

Council Bluffs, IA 3,029 Undergrads 28.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,102
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,574
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,793
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,574
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$42,793
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate28.1%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time64.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.1%

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
+$428k
+$39k
-$56k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$407k
+$18k
-$78k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$395k
+$6k
-$90k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-365%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-270%
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-380%

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-126%
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

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$12,229
Earnings (5yr)
$61,751
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,937
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,920
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,785
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,981
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
AssocCIP: 5218
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,295
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,958
Earnings (5yr)
$40,741
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,766
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,297
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,473
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k

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.