College ROI

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Lamar Community College

Lamar, CO 400 Undergrads 39.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,550
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,523
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,762
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,523
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$44,762
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$42,998
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate39.1%
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 Age23.1
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients53.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time74.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.6%

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
+$474k
-$50k
-$13k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$462k
-$62k
-$25k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$440k
-$84k
-$47k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
Never
-206%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-137%
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 Return-141%

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-76%

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: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,529
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,862
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$23,859
Natl Median: $34,692
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Natl Median: $83,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $27,014
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$6,604
Earnings (4yr)
$36,841
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,092
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k

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.