College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Red Rocks Community College

Lakewood, CO 4,281 Undergrads 29.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,048
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,356
After Aid
Median Earnings
$46,288
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,356
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$46,288
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate29.6%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients30.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time36.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.0%

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
+$490k
+$165k
+$5k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$481k
+$156k
-$3k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$473k
+$148k
-$12k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
45
Median Cost$9k/yr
Never
-40%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-69%
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-15%

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-48%
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

Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,379
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$100,340
Lifetime Value Added
+$563k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,287
Lifetime Value Added
+$362k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,262
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,860
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,174
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$13,600
Earnings (5yr)
$67,335
Lifetime Value Added
+$183k
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
AssocCIP: 4604
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,231
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$86,955
Lifetime Value Added
+$356k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,049
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,683
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1505
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,483
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,859
Lifetime Value Added
+$133k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,435
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,985
Earnings (5yr)
$49,333
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Lifetime Value Added
-$265k

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.