College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Northwest Vista College

San Antonio, TX 13,872 Undergrads 27.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$10,864
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,546
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,490
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$4,546
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$42,490
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate27.7%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients27.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time26.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.9%

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
+$425k
+$36k
-$59k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$417k
+$28k
-$68k
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$405k
+$16k
-$79k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-810%
Full Cost$11k/yr
Never
-397%
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-592%

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-149%
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 (2yr)
$17,717
Lifetime Value Added
-$261k

Associate's Degrees

Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$7,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,429
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,633
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,117
Lifetime Value Added
+$135k
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
AssocCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,088
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,822
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,544
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$5,250
Earnings (5yr)
$47,748
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k

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.