College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Quinsigamond Community College

Worcester, MA 5,413 Undergrads 29.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$13,295
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,764
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,949
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,764
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$45,949
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate29.5%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients47.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time34.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.4%

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
+$457k
+$68k
-$27k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$443k
+$54k
-$41k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$433k
+$44k
-$51k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-290%
Full Cost$13k/yr
Never
-211%
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-264%

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-90%
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

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,582
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$14,415
Earnings (5yr)
$57,594
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$14,904
Earnings (5yr)
$52,608
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Computer Software and Media Applications
AssocCIP: 1108
Median Debt
$19,235
Earnings (5yr)
$36,412
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$15,298
Earnings (5yr)
$50,362
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$67,077
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,991
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,212
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$13,708
Earnings (5yr)
$41,949
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,479
Earnings (5yr)
$85,428
Lifetime Value Added
+$345k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$16,492
Earnings (5yr)
$32,622
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k

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.