College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Kalamazoo Valley Community College

Kalamazoo, MI 4,885 Undergrads 19.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$9,517
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$2,991
After Aid
Median Earnings
$38,618
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$2,991
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$38,618
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate19.8%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time31.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.6%

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
+$389k
-$165
-$96k
Median Cost$3k/yr
+$383k
-$6k
-$101k
Full Cost$10k/yr
+$371k
-$18k
-$113k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$3k/yr
Never
-1840%
Full Cost$10k/yr
Never
-647%
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-1034%

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-231%
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

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$7,600
Earnings (5yr)
$46,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$10,750
Earnings (5yr)
$63,588
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,956
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,762
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,618
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,974
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Engineering Technology, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$37,870
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,463
Earnings (5yr)
$72,767
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,333
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k

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.