Lake Area Technical College

Watertown, SD 1,812 Undergrads 72.7% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$19,637

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$15,979

After Aid

Median Earnings

$49,488

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$15,979

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$49,488

Peer Midpoint: $50,128

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$45,473

Peer Midpoint: $40,451

Graduation Rate72.7%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Average Starting Age21.9

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients33.4%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time80.6%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS75.6%

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

+$527k

+$12k

+$43k

Median Cost$16k/yr

+$498k

-$18k

+$14k

Full Cost$20k/yr

+$491k

-$24k

+$7k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$16k/yr

46%

Full Cost$20k/yr

19%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return143%

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-14%

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

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$35,222

Natl Median: $26,307

Lifetime Value Added

-$83k

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

CertCIP: 5106

Median Debt

$5,500

Earnings (4yr)

$38,313

Natl Median: $33,673

Lifetime Value Added

-$49k

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

CertCIP: 5207

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,211

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ground Transportation

CertCIP: 4902

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,118

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Services, General

CertCIP: 4400

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$34,188

Natl Median: $36,390

Lifetime Value Added

-$95k

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

CertCIP: 5139

Median Debt

$9,500

Earnings (4yr)

$56,633

Natl Median: $56,073

Lifetime Value Added

+$147k

Precision Metal Working

CertCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$49,693

Natl Median: $48,702

Lifetime Value Added

+$74k

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$50,334

Natl Median: $51,586

Lifetime Value Added

+$81k

Associate's Degrees

Agricultural Business and Management

AssocCIP: 0101

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$48,305

Natl Median: $47,825

Lifetime Value Added

+$2k

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

AssocCIP: 5108

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$43,574

Natl Median: $42,269

Lifetime Value Added

-$45k

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

AssocCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection

AssocCIP: 4604

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$47,946

Natl Median: $59,378

Lifetime Value Added

-$2k

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$51,402

Natl Median: $57,472

Lifetime Value Added

+$32k

Computer Science

AssocCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$60,752

Natl Median: $62,283

Lifetime Value Added

+$122k

Construction Engineering Technology/Technician

AssocCIP: 1510

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$72,225

Natl Median: $71,367

Lifetime Value Added

+$227k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$52,822

Natl Median: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

+$46k

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $61,982

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1503

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $67,792

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1504

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$69,953

Natl Median: $73,046

Lifetime Value Added

+$206k

Finance and Financial Management Services

AssocCIP: 5208

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$47,420

Natl Median: $51,913

Lifetime Value Added

-$7k

Ground Transportation

AssocCIP: 4902

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$53,442

Natl Median: $59,881

Lifetime Value Added

+$42k

Human Services, General

AssocCIP: 4400

Median Debt

$11,273

Earnings (4yr)

$37,135

Natl Median: $39,422

Lifetime Value Added

-$110k

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,593

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Marketing

AssocCIP: 5214

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$43,632

Natl Median: $44,264

Lifetime Value Added

-$45k

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

AssocCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,634

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Precision Metal Working

AssocCIP: 4805

Median Debt

$11,000

Earnings (4yr)

$51,201

Natl Median: $56,451

Lifetime Value Added

+$30k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$18,707

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4706

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$60,763

Natl Median: $58,424

Lifetime Value Added

+$122k

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. 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.