College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Kansas City Kansas Community College

Kansas City, KS 3,071 Undergrads 31.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,095
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,255
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,795
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,255
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$40,795
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate31.1%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time46.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.8%

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
+$435k
+$110k
-$49k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$421k
+$96k
-$63k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$418k
+$94k
-$66k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
Never
-448%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-394%
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-621%

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-172%
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

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$26,427
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,384
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$9,125
Earnings (5yr)
$61,044
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,483
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,054
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$9,549
Earnings (5yr)
$61,213
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,228
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
AssocCIP: 1203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,679
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$7,750
Earnings (5yr)
$42,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$11,400
Earnings (5yr)
$70,948
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k

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.