College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Middlesex College

Edison, NJ 8,469 Undergrads 30.7% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$10,054
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$2,288
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,906
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$2,288
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$55,906
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate30.7%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time49.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.3%

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
+$590k
+$74k
+$105k
Median Cost$2k/yr
+$586k
+$70k
+$101k
Full Cost$10k/yr
+$571k
+$56k
+$87k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
Median Cost$2k/yr
27
2409%
Full Cost$10k/yr
29
471%
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 Return1007%

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 Return218%
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 Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
American Sign Language
CertCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,771
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,028
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Programming
CertCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,492
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
CertCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
CertCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,024
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
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 Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,511
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$380k
Biotechnology
AssocCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,595
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$62,991
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,519
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$70,069
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$232k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$7,250
Earnings (4yr)
$51,937
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$81,043
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
AssocCIP: 5131
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,303
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
AssocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,532
Natl Median: $41,787
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Science
AssocCIP: 1413
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,449
Natl Median: $75,098
Lifetime Value Added
+$272k
Engineering-Related Fields
AssocCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
AssocCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,095
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
AssocCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,186
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
AssocCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Graphic Communications
AssocCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$38,274
Natl Median: $36,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
AssocCIP: 5199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,217
Natl Median: $51,180
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
Homeland Security
AssocCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,829
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,413
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,250
Earnings (4yr)
$48,845
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,773
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4001
Median Debt
$7,250
Earnings (4yr)
$67,944
Natl Median: $49,076
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Public Health
AssocCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,759
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (4yr)
$93,065
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$439k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
AssocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,854
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
AssocCIP: 5219
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,002
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teaching Assistants/Aides
AssocCIP: 1315
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,948
Natl Median: $36,642
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
AssocCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$28,432
Natl Median: $32,799
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k

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.