College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Jamestown Community College

Jamestown, NY 1,692 Undergrads 37.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$17,300
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,507
After Aid
Median Earnings
$38,242
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,507
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$38,242
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate37.3%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time75.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.5%

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
+$385k
-$4k
-$99k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$368k
-$21k
-$117k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$354k
-$35k
-$131k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-668%
Full Cost$17k/yr
Never
-412%
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-634%

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-176%
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

Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$64,496
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$11,250
Earnings (5yr)
$41,987
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$8,805
Earnings (5yr)
$42,103
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Communication and Media Studies
AssocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,093
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,909
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$7,917
Earnings (5yr)
$44,924
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,284
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$9,050
Earnings (5yr)
$39,428
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,625
Earnings (5yr)
$37,196
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,182
Earnings (5yr)
$68,346
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k

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.