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Pasadena City College
Pasadena, CA 21,466 Undergrads 32.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$13,677
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$3,864
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,980
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$3,864
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$48,980
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate32.7%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time40.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS54.6%
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
+$522k
+$7k
+$38k
Median Cost$4k/yr
+$515k
-$305
+$31k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$497k
-$18k
+$13k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$4k/yr
36
435%
Full Cost$14k/yr
47
51%
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 Return213%
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 Return15%
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
Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
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
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
CertCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
CertCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,337
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
CertCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,020
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,200
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Anthropology
AssocCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,638
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architecture
AssocCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,546
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,752
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
AssocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,235
Natl Median: $43,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
AssocCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,082
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,033
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
AssocCIP: 1603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,764
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,241
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,323
Natl Median: $62,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
English Language and Literature, General
AssocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,134
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
AssocCIP: 0502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,387
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
AssocCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,186
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$30,107
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Geography and Cartography
AssocCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,052
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
AssocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,808
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Journalism
AssocCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Leisure and Recreational Activities
AssocCIP: 3601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,796
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,598
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Mathematics
AssocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Sciences
AssocCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,721
Natl Median: $48,630
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Physics
AssocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,321
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
AssocCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,147
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,700
Natl Median: $39,288
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
AssocCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,074
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$107,357
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$564k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
AssocCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,755
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,709
Natl Median: $43,146
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Sociology
AssocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,348
Natl Median: $44,144
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$33,915
Natl Median: $40,162
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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.