College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Northampton County Area Community College

Bethlehem, PA 7,512 Undergrads 30.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$16,211
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,666
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,566
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,666
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$41,566
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate30.3%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time40.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.4%

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
+$416k
+$28k
-$68k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$397k
+$8k
-$87k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$387k
-$2k
-$98k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-447%
Full Cost$16k/yr
Never
-328%
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-482%

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-143%
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

Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$98
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$19,253
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$35,375
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$13,849
Earnings (5yr)
$53,143
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Communication and Media Studies
AssocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,228
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (5yr)
$47,582
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$16,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,392
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
AssocCIP: 1203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$22,200
Earnings (5yr)
$32,196
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (5yr)
$36,328
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,223
Earnings (5yr)
$75,103
Lifetime Value Added
+$249k
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,138
Lifetime Value Added
-$58k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$15,047
Earnings (2yr)
$17,470
Lifetime Value Added
-$296k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,626
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k

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.