College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

North Dakota State College of Science

Wahpeton, ND 1,909 Undergrads 45.5% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$17,565
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,706
After Aid
Median Earnings
$62,015
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,706
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$62,015
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,808
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate45.5%
Peer Midpoint: 35.7%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age21.7
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time86.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 Years to Graduation

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
+$640k
+$116k
+$153k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$618k
+$94k
+$132k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$607k
+$83k
+$121k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
24
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
27
613%
Full Cost$18k/yr
28
375%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return810%

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 Return146%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Air Transportation
CertCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,268
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,996
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,974
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$11,106
Earnings (4yr)
$45,051
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,168
Natl Median: $61,712
Lifetime Value Added
+$318k
Median Debt
$11,750
Earnings (4yr)
$42,551
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,275
Natl Median: $55,767
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,891
Earnings (4yr)
$47,469
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,519
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
AssocCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,250
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,908
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,920
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Natl Median: $55,148
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,885
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,788
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Median Debt
$14,625
Earnings (4yr)
$64,660
Natl Median: $62,755
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$61,509
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Median Debt
$20,375
Earnings (4yr)
$69,372
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$74,744
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k

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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.