Lower Columbia College

Longview, WA 1,932 Undergrads 43.5% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$16,169

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$7,630

After Aid

Median Earnings

$52,301

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,630

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$52,301

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate43.5%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients42.1%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time57.4%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS59.9%

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

+$555k

+$39k

+$71k

Median Cost$8k/yr

+$541k

+$25k

+$57k

Full Cost$16k/yr

+$525k

+$10k

+$41k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$8k/yr

403%

Full Cost$16k/yr

138%

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 Return368%

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 Return44%

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 and Medical Assisting Services

CertCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,272

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

CertCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $35,447

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

CertCIP: 5139

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$43,006

Natl Median: $56,073

Lifetime Value Added

+$10k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

CertCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,631

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teaching Assistants/Aides

CertCIP: 1315

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $24,479

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,586

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 0183

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,862

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

AssocCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,660

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

AssocCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,269

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

AssocCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,758

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$41,523

Natl Median: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

-$59k

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

AssocCIP: 5204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,587

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Commerce, General

AssocCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$45,815

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

-$16k

Chemical Engineering

AssocCIP: 1407

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,346

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

AssocCIP: 1110

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$41,276

Natl Median: $54,726

Lifetime Value Added

-$61k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,706

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

Health and Medical Administrative Services

AssocCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$41,848

Natl Median: $37,073

Lifetime Value Added

-$55k

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,593

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$7,667

Earnings (4yr)

$41,925

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$46k

Mechanical Engineering

AssocCIP: 1419

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $72,444

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,734

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physical Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 4001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,076

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Precision Metal Working

AssocCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$53,958

Natl Median: $56,451

Lifetime Value Added

+$62k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$10,035

Earnings (4yr)

$92,471

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$424k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

AssocCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,656

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

AssocCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $35,702

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$29,685

Natl Median: $58,424

Lifetime Value Added

-$159k

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.