College ROI

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Plaza College

Forest Hills, NY 984 Undergrads 60.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$30,882
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$26,326
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,365
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$26,326
Peer Midpoint: $9,956
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$45,365
Peer Midpoint: $51,775
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$36,831
Peer Midpoint: $45,130
Graduation Rate60.3%
Peer Midpoint: 35.7%
Average Starting Age27.6
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients83.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS52.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
30.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 Years to Graduation

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
+$480k
-$44k
-$7k
Median Cost$26k/yr
+$431k
-$93k
-$55k
Full Cost$31k/yr
+$423k
-$101k
-$63k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$26k/yr
Never
-114%
Full Cost$31k/yr
Never
-112%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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-106%

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-82%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,502
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
$20,997
Earnings (4yr)
$38,421
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
$18,056
Earnings (4yr)
$48,095
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Median Debt
$22,534
Earnings (4yr)
$41,038
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
$25,136
Earnings (4yr)
$72,162
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Median Debt
$20,543
Earnings (4yr)
$45,157
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Median Debt
$24,248
Earnings (4yr)
$62,067
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$28,332
Earnings (4yr)
$52,337
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,125
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k

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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.