College ROI

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Portland Community College

Portland, OR 19,531 Undergrads 19.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$17,934
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,405
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,238
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,405
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$55,238
Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$44,592
Peer Midpoint: $40,451
Graduation Rate19.5%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age26.6
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 Recipients34.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time40.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$583k
+$68k
+$99k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$564k
+$49k
+$80k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$550k
+$35k
+$66k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
30
418%
Full Cost$18k/yr
32
201%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return484%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return69%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,981
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Median Debt
$8,750
Earnings (4yr)
$45,601
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$92,397
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$486k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,771
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,158
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,990
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,529
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,540
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,944
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,394
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,492
Natl Median: $58,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,130
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,906
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,285
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,833
Natl Median: $37,647
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,231
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$52,211
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Air Transportation
AssocCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,495
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$87,002
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$370k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,886
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $45,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,975
Natl Median: $78,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$310k
Biotechnology
AssocCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,595
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$93,597
Natl Median: $59,378
Lifetime Value Added
+$429k
Median Debt
$12,800
Earnings (4yr)
$59,792
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,189
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Natl Median: $64,519
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,948
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$208k
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$63,566
Natl Median: $58,070
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,183
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,804
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
AssocCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,584
Earnings (4yr)
$55,469
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Median Debt
$16,625
Earnings (4yr)
$73,457
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Median Debt
$17,506
Earnings (4yr)
$50,811
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
+$37k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,324
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,197
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,545
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$276k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,186
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$52,107
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,279
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$51,482
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Homeland Security
AssocCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,829
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$86,031
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
+$361k
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,004
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Median Debt
$12,448
Earnings (4yr)
$49,166
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Natl Median: $64,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,652
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,972
Natl Median: $48,724
Lifetime Value Added
-$986
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,659
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Median Debt
$21,634
Earnings (4yr)
$101,099
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$496k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,736
Natl Median: $40,162
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$12,666
Earnings (4yr)
$71,462
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Median Debt
$19,999
Earnings (4yr)
$49,418
Natl Median: $41,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,308
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 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.