College ROI

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Jackson State Community College

Jackson, TN 2,511 Undergrads 28.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$16,103
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,025
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,410
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,025
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$49,410
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$39,715
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate28.4%
Peer Midpoint: 35.7%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age22.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients62.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time61.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS53.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 Years to Graduation

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
+$519k
-$5k
+$33k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$506k
-$18k
+$20k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$490k
-$34k
+$3k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
41
155%
Full Cost$16k/yr
58
11%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return133%

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-12%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,143
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,670
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,296
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,563
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,213
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,687
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Education, General
AssocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,787
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,859
Natl Median: $62,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$288k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,529
Natl Median: $51,180
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,533
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,081
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k

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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.