College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Lewis and Clark Community College

Godfrey, IL 2,252 Undergrads 47.3% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$9,167
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,281
After Aid
Median Earnings
$37,724
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$4,281
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$37,724
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate47.3%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time54.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.4%

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
+$404k
+$80k
-$80k
Median Cost$4k/yr
+$400k
+$76k
-$84k
Full Cost$9k/yr
+$396k
+$71k
-$88k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$4k/yr
Never
-2113%
Full Cost$9k/yr
Never
-1040%
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-1797%

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-375%
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

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$6,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,398
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,725
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,349
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$7,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,802
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Biological and Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$6,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,089
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,133
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Computer Software and Media Applications
AssocCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,027
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,930
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,917
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$6,050
Earnings (5yr)
$39,550
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,698
Lifetime Value Added
+$240k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,017
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$8,055
Earnings (5yr)
$67,224
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k

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.