College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Oakland Community College

Auburn Hills, MI 11,772 Undergrads 30.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$11,487
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,568
After Aid
Median Earnings
$37,395
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$4,568
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$37,395
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate30.0%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time28.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS49.9%

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
+$377k
-$12k
-$107k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$369k
-$20k
-$115k
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$356k
-$33k
-$128k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-1376%
Full Cost$11k/yr
Never
-608%
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-971%

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-228%
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

Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,770
Lifetime Value Added
+$381k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$12,181
Earnings (5yr)
$50,461
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$12,250
Earnings (5yr)
$50,875
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$9,837
Earnings (5yr)
$52,285
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
AssocCIP: 1110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$12,972
Earnings (5yr)
$68,864
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,646
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
AssocCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,107
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,380
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,224
Earnings (5yr)
$42,546
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$14,680
Earnings (5yr)
$46,193
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$11,318
Earnings (5yr)
$65,602
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Science Technologies/Technicians, Other
AssocCIP: 4199
Median Debt
$10,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,322
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k

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.