College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Jefferson State Community College

Birmingham, AL 5,443 Undergrads 19.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$14,384
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,024
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,719
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,024
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$40,719
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate19.8%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time37.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.3%

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
+$409k
+$20k
-$76k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$392k
+$3k
-$92k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$382k
-$7k
-$102k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
Never
-558%
Full Cost$14k/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-584%

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-160%
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

Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,776
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,123
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Engineering Technology, General
CertCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,202
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
CertCIP: 1203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,877
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,313
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,495
Lifetime Value Added
+$55k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$9,750
Earnings (5yr)
$54,402
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,779
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,237
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,601
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,032
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Engineering Technology, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,350
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
AssocCIP: 1203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,158
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,433
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$26,505
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,346
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,606
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,878
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k

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.