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Palm Beach State College
Lake Worth, FL 20,532 Undergrads 38.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$16,741
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,832
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,923
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$9,832
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$41,923
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate38.8%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients44.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time34.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.0%
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
+$420k
+$31k
-$65k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$402k
+$13k
-$83k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$389k
+$107
-$95k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-457%
Full Cost$17k/yr
Never
-310%
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-450%
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-138%
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 Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$4,025
Earnings (5yr)
$61,067
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
$4,500
Earnings (5yr)
$35,090
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$4,892
Earnings (5yr)
$79,900
Lifetime Value Added
+$368k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,973
Lifetime Value Added
+$264k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,648
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,464
Lifetime Value Added
-$159k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$6,014
Earnings (5yr)
$50,948
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,639
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services
CertCIP: 5135
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,110
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,108
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$11,250
Earnings (5yr)
$65,419
Lifetime Value Added
+$165k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,263
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Computer Software and Media Applications
AssocCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,447
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,368
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$6,139
Earnings (5yr)
$43,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$8,750
Earnings (5yr)
$76,092
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
Security Science and Technology
AssocCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,445
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,971
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Bachelor's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$12,052
Earnings (5yr)
$53,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
BachCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$10,150
Earnings (5yr)
$76,787
Lifetime Value Added
+$134k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (2yr)
$81,997
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
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.