College ROI

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Piedmont Technical College

Greenwood, SC 3,988 Undergrads 31.0% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$20,438
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,862
After Aid
Median Earnings
$35,768
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,862
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$35,768
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate31.0%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients60.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time42.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS53.3%

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
+$385k
+$60k
-$100k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$375k
+$50k
-$110k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$366k
+$41k
-$119k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-1088%
Full Cost$20k/yr
Never
-625%
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-1052%

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-260%
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 and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$9,842
Earnings (5yr)
$31,368
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$7,500
Earnings (5yr)
$39,969
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (5yr)
$42,615
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,568
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$56,711
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
$16,750
Earnings (5yr)
$32,950
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$21,983
Earnings (5yr)
$41,209
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$22,541
Earnings (5yr)
$42,853
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$187k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,159
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
AssocCIP: 1203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,554
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,832
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$299k
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$25,153
Earnings (5yr)
$27,346
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$36,983
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$11,500
Earnings (5yr)
$34,849
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$17,035
Earnings (5yr)
$75,776
Lifetime Value Added
+$255k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k

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.