College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Northern Essex Community College

Haverhill, MA 3,350 Undergrads 23.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,921
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$3,971
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,862
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$3,971
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$42,862
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate23.4%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients42.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time32.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.3%

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
+$429k
+$40k
-$56k
Median Cost$4k/yr
+$421k
+$32k
-$63k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$407k
+$18k
-$78k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$4k/yr
Never
-865%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-355%
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-520%

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-138%
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
$5,600
Earnings (5yr)
$41,894
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,538
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,610
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,559
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$11,500
Earnings (5yr)
$38,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$8,275
Earnings (5yr)
$61,448
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$13,723
Earnings (5yr)
$73,608
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$8,505
Earnings (5yr)
$58,679
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$12,250
Earnings (5yr)
$56,958
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$9,250
Earnings (5yr)
$48,911
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other
AssocCIP: 1599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,023
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,662
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,585
Earnings (5yr)
$43,911
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$11,875
Earnings (5yr)
$36,942
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$85,914
Lifetime Value Added
+$357k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$10,758
Earnings (5yr)
$38,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
AssocCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,828
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k

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.