College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Northwest Iowa Community College

Sheldon, IA 856 Undergrads 60.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$17,914
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,357
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,776
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$12,357
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$50,776
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate60.4%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time69.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.4%

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
+$502k
+$113k
+$17k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$479k
+$90k
-$5k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$469k
+$80k
-$15k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
40
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-23%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-47%
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 Return24%

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-38%
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
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$110,999
Lifetime Value Added
+$661k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,400
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k

Associate's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$88,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$363k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,493
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
$11,990
Earnings (5yr)
$76,903
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$7,800
Earnings (5yr)
$41,727
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,828
Earnings (5yr)
$57,723
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$11,326
Earnings (5yr)
$51,849
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k

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.