College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Miami Dade College

Miami, FL 35,001 Undergrads 37.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$12,535
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,929
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,654
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,929
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$40,654
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate37.3%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time50.5%
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
+$408k
+$19k
-$76k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$397k
+$8k
-$87k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$385k
-$4k
-$99k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-802%
Full Cost$13k/yr
Never
-432%
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-661%

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 and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,983
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$71,373
Lifetime Value Added
+$290k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$8,500
Earnings (5yr)
$32,805
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,158
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
CertCIP: 1110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,496
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$5,942
Earnings (5yr)
$50,008
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,040
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,859
Lifetime Value Added
+$562k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,852
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,950
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$10,459
Earnings (5yr)
$55,801
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,539
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,435
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$94,635
Lifetime Value Added
+$430k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$12,140
Earnings (5yr)
$47,594
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k

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.