College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Minnesota West Community and Technical College

Granite Falls, MN 1,700 Undergrads 48.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$17,205
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,898
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,285
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,898
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$45,285
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate48.5%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time46.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.7%

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
+$480k
+$155k
-$5k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$469k
+$144k
-$16k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$464k
+$139k
-$21k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-143%
Full Cost$17k/yr
Never
-130%
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-127%

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-70%
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

Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
$8,778
Earnings (5yr)
$63,095
Lifetime Value Added
+$204k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,689
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,864
Lifetime Value Added
+$251k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$8,597
Earnings (5yr)
$46,376
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,212
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,956
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$23,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$237k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,781
Lifetime Value Added
+$297k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,380
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$37,950
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,639
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$73,703
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k

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.