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Northwest Iowa Community College
Sheldon, IA 864 Undergrads 61.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$20,414
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,800
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,885
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,800
Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$60,885
Peer Midpoint: $34,461
Graduation Rate61.1%
Peer Midpoint: 68.7%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time69.9%
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
+$690k
+$298k
+$206k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$676k
+$285k
+$192k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$671k
+$279k
+$187k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
21
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
22
1397%
Full Cost$20k/yr
22
985%
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 Return2023%
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 Return421%
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 and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
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 Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Carpenters
CertCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,835
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
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$96,897
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$544k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,862
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$222k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,481
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Agriculture, General
AssocCIP: 0100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,683
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $47,793
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Construction Trades, General
AssocCIP: 4600
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$82,018
Natl Median: $70,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$317k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,493
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
$11,990
Earnings (4yr)
$66,319
Natl Median: $63,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Ground Transportation
AssocCIP: 4902
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,286
Natl Median: $59,881
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$7,800
Earnings (4yr)
$44,666
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,828
Earnings (4yr)
$64,337
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$11,326
Earnings (4yr)
$61,907
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
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.