College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Laurel Ridge Community College

Middletown, VA 3,167 Undergrads 34.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,552
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,586
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,000
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,586
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$41,000
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate34.0%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time38.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.1%

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$6k/yr
+$401k
+$12k
-$83k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$390k
+$992
-$94k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-813%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-445%
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-681%

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-170%
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 Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$55,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,032
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,142
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,781
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,289
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,906
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k

Associate's Degrees

Biological and Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$7,101
Earnings (5yr)
$50,568
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,852
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,941
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,677
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,297
Earnings (5yr)
$44,620
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$16,824
Earnings (5yr)
$73,312
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k

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.