College ROI

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Kennebec Valley Community College

Fairfield, ME 1,597 Undergrads 43.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$14,935
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,256
After Aid
Median Earnings
$54,523
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,256
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$54,523
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$46,874
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate43.3%
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 Age26.9
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time32.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.8%

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
+$569k
+$45k
+$82k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$555k
+$31k
+$69k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$541k
+$17k
+$55k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
30
518%
Full Cost$15k/yr
33
200%
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 Return483%

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 Return71%

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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,274
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$520k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,999
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$132,564
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$897k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,244
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,599
Earnings (4yr)
$43,178
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
$11,176
Earnings (4yr)
$66,084
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,168
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,594
Natl Median: $70,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
$10,503
Earnings (4yr)
$36,478
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,931
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Median Debt
$15,962
Earnings (4yr)
$41,939
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,020
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Median Debt
$18,351
Earnings (4yr)
$73,136
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$33,225
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k

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.