Northwest Shoals Community College

Muscle Shoals, AL 1,969 Undergrads 37.2% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$11,340

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$2,838

After Aid

Median Earnings

$45,546

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$2,838

Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$45,546

Peer Midpoint: $34,461

Graduation Rate37.2%

Peer Midpoint: 68.7%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients55.4%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time44.9%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS52.5%

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

+$529k

+$137k

+$44k

Median Cost$3k/yr

+$526k

+$135k

+$42k

Full Cost$11k/yr

+$518k

+$127k

+$34k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$3k/yr

1588%

Full Cost$11k/yr

322%

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 Return740%

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 Return133%

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

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,272

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

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

CertCIP: 1204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $26,307

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Precision Metal Working

CertCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,702

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

AssocCIP: 5108

Median Debt

$20,000

Earnings (4yr)

$30,533

Natl Median: $42,269

Lifetime Value Added

-$153k

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

AssocCIP: 5204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,587

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

AssocCIP: 1204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $27,014

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1513

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,895

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4703

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,017

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,184

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$8,750

Earnings (4yr)

$42,932

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$27k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

AssocCIP: 3099

Median Debt

$8,750

Earnings (4yr)

$65,044

Natl Median: $50,491

Lifetime Value Added

+$186k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$11,900

Earnings (4yr)

$64,855

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$184k

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.