College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

McLennan Community College

Waco, TX 4,997 Undergrads 23.6% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$13,382
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,185
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,163
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,185
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$39,163
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate23.6%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients53.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time44.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS54.9%

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
+$394k
+$5k
-$90k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$383k
-$6k
-$102k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$369k
-$20k
-$115k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-896%
Full Cost$13k/yr
Never
-468%
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-727%

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-186%
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
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,546
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$10,625
Earnings (5yr)
$36,312
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
$5,776
Earnings (5yr)
$22,492
Lifetime Value Added
-$221k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,609
Lifetime Value Added
+$195k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$13,897
Earnings (5yr)
$29,788
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$13,255
Earnings (5yr)
$54,953
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$11,250
Earnings (5yr)
$49,536
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$12,780
Earnings (5yr)
$60,328
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,614
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,864
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$11,209
Earnings (5yr)
$46,309
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,250
Earnings (5yr)
$45,496
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$14,152
Earnings (5yr)
$78,498
Lifetime Value Added
+$287k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,454
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k

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.