Back to Colleges
Lone Star College System
The Woodlands, TX 47,486 Undergrads 18.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$14,637
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,322
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,466
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$9,322
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$42,466
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate18.3%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time34.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS54.4%
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
+$425k
+$36k
-$59k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$408k
+$19k
-$77k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$398k
+$9k
-$86k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
Never
-447%
Full Cost$15k/yr
Never
-321%
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-467%
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-136%
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
Accounting and Computer Science
CertCIP: 3016
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,602
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$5,625
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$5,250
Earnings (5yr)
$80,106
Lifetime Value Added
+$370k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$7,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,575
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,910
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,775
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
$5,399
Earnings (5yr)
$25,298
Lifetime Value Added
-$193k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
CertCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,276
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,236
Lifetime Value Added
+$238k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,727
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,088
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$9,312
Earnings (5yr)
$67,662
Lifetime Value Added
+$251k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
$3,500
Earnings (5yr)
$31,599
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$6,750
Earnings (5yr)
$84,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$413k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,742
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$8,042
Earnings (5yr)
$53,961
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$8,453
Earnings (5yr)
$67,117
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
American Sign Language
AssocCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$9,167
Lifetime Value Added
-$389k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$11,375
Earnings (5yr)
$44,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$6,750
Earnings (5yr)
$56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,620
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$9,091
Earnings (5yr)
$44,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Educational/Instructional Media Design
AssocCIP: 1305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$201k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,377
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,720
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$7,750
Earnings (5yr)
$45,987
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,945
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,422
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$86,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$348k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$7,687
Earnings (5yr)
$54,605
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,117
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
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.