College ROI

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Northwood Technical College

Rice Lake, WI 2,149 Undergrads 59.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$23,164
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,550
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,479
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,550
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$52,479
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$48,396
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate59.4%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Average starting age (2015-17)26.7
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients41.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time42.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 1 Year to Graduation

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
+$595k
+$190k
+$108k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$577k
+$173k
+$91k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$573k
+$169k
+$87k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
22
∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
25
529%
Full Cost$23k/yr
26
403%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return873%

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 Return135%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,947
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,175
Natl Median: $60,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,010
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$41,582
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$65,341
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$235k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,500
Earnings (4yr)
$35,988
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Carpenters
CertCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,835
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$32,846
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$71,262
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,727
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,418
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
CertCIP: 3011
Median Debt
$10,575
Earnings (4yr)
$38,916
Natl Median: $48,636
Lifetime Value Added
-$45k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,118
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$37,379
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,005
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$340k
Median Debt
$8,077
Earnings (4yr)
$40,567
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$5,250
Earnings (4yr)
$38,870
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,941
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,169
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,308
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,716
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,003
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,016
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,992
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,913
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
AssocCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,217
Natl Median: $40,252
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,415
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,229
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$13,750
Earnings (4yr)
$41,762
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$73,503
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k

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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.