College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Bentonville, AR 4,953 Undergrads 23.5% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$12,157
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,196
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,056
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,196
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$48,056
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate23.5%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time35.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.6%

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
+$513k
-$2k
+$29k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$500k
-$16k
+$16k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$491k
-$25k
+$7k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
Median Cost$7k/yr
43
118%
Full Cost$12k/yr
52
29%
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 Return177%

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 Return12%
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
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Basic Skills and Developmental/Remedial Education
CertCIP: 3201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,011
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business/Commerce, General
CertCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,097
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
CertCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,671
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
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
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
CertCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
CertCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,211
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1505
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,268
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
CertCIP: 5218
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,001
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
CertCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$10,875
Earnings (4yr)
$53,283
Natl Median: $43,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Hospitality Administration/Management
CertCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$32,971
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,500
Earnings (4yr)
$51,796
Natl Median: $44,906
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
CertCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,561
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other
AssocCIP: 0199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,835
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Agriculture, General
AssocCIP: 0100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,127
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,422
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,173
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$10,374
Earnings (4yr)
$64,778
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,737
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
AssocCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,169
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1505
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
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
$8,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,192
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,938
Earnings (4yr)
$68,866
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Visual and Performing Arts, General
AssocCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,799
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

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.