College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Pikes Peak State College

Colorado Springs, CO 9,307 Undergrads 23.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,345
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,682
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,796
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,682
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$40,796
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate23.5%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time40.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.3%

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
+$409k
+$20k
-$75k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$392k
+$3k
-$93k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$376k
-$13k
-$109k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-522%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-323%
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-476%

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-146%
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)
$36,851
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,234
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,342
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,715
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,828
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,365
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,019
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,043
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$198k
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Graphic Communications
AssocCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,482
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,113
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,790
Earnings (5yr)
$44,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,946
Earnings (5yr)
$74,777
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,806
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,943
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k

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.