College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Phoenix College

Phoenix, AZ 6,952 Undergrads 24.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,033
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,728
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,870
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,728
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$40,870
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate24.6%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time30.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.6%

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
+$436k
+$111k
-$49k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$425k
+$100k
-$59k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$419k
+$94k
-$65k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-546%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-390%
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-614%

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-171%
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
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,205
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
American Sign Language
CertCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,328
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Business/Commerce, General
CertCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,630
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Fine and Studio Arts
CertCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,896
Lifetime Value Added
+$202k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,390
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,473
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Natural Sciences
CertCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,626
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,079
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,999
Lifetime Value Added
+$84k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
$6,750
Earnings (5yr)
$71,539
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,977
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,841
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,412
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,583
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$9,452
Earnings (5yr)
$50,065
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,695
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$6,937
Earnings (5yr)
$78,522
Lifetime Value Added
+$277k
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services
AssocCIP: 5135
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k

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.