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Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA 7,438 Undergrads 32.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$14,797
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,388
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,016
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$9,388
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$41,016
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate32.0%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time53.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.8%
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
+$411k
+$22k
-$73k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$394k
+$5k
-$90k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$384k
-$5k
-$100k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
Never
-524%
Full Cost$15k/yr
Never
-369%
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-552%
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-154%
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
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Animal Sciences
CertCIP: 0109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,970
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,308
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,033
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,059
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Agricultural Mechanization
AssocCIP: 0102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,665
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Agricultural Production Operations
AssocCIP: 0103
Median Debt
$9,530
Earnings (5yr)
$46,670
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,976
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$15,788
Earnings (5yr)
$58,566
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
AssocCIP: 0106
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$40,840
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$14,145
Earnings (5yr)
$38,052
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,199
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
$14,112
Earnings (5yr)
$62,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
AssocCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$12,585
Earnings (5yr)
$58,598
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Construction Management
AssocCIP: 5220
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,292
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
$9,511
Earnings (5yr)
$40,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$11,999
Earnings (5yr)
$40,143
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$10,168
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,335
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$15,983
Earnings (5yr)
$73,881
Lifetime Value Added
+$241k
Graphic Communications
AssocCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,668
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$27,394
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,402
Earnings (5yr)
$43,552
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$12,898
Earnings (5yr)
$45,159
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
AssocCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,889
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$62,713
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$10,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,430
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,178
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
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.