J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College

Huntsville, AL 755 Undergrads 20.7% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$14,456

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$6,005

After Aid

Median Earnings

$52,160

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,005

Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$52,160

Peer Midpoint: $34,461

Graduation Rate20.7%

Peer Midpoint: 68.7%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients62.0%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time40.9%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS42.4%

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

+$599k

+$208k

+$115k

Median Cost$6k/yr

+$594k

+$202k

+$109k

Full Cost$14k/yr

+$586k

+$194k

+$102k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$6k/yr

1965%

Full Cost$14k/yr

758%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return1567%

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 Return310%

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

Computer and Information Sciences, General

CertCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,984

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

CertCIP: 1204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $26,307

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Culinary Arts and Related Services

CertCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $30,572

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

CertCIP: 5139

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$71,211

Natl Median: $56,073

Lifetime Value Added

+$302k

Precision Metal Working

CertCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,702

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

AssocCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,269

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

AssocCIP: 1204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $27,014

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Culinary Arts and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,605

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1513

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,895

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1503

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $67,792

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1505

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,148

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,593

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Precision Metal Working

AssocCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,451

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.