Richland Community College

Decatur, IL 1,346 Undergrads 31.3% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$11,483

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$3,741

After Aid

Median Earnings

$51,785

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$3,741

Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$51,785

Peer Midpoint: $34,461

Graduation Rate31.3%

Peer Midpoint: 68.7%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients50.1%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time28.8%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS54.2%

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

+$595k

+$204k

+$111k

Median Cost$4k/yr

+$592k

+$200k

+$108k

Full Cost$11k/yr

+$585k

+$193k

+$100k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$4k/yr

3101%

Full Cost$11k/yr

943%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return1927%

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 Return399%

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 (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,584

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Commerce, General

CertCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $60,097

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

CertCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,702

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ground Transportation

CertCIP: 4902

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,118

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

CertCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $35,447

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)

CertCIP: 4702

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,148

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

CertCIP: 5139

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,073

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Precision Metal Working

CertCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,702

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,586

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

AssocCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$69,165

Natl Median: $65,389

Lifetime Value Added

+$222k

Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services

AssocCIP: 0106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,283

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biological and Physical Sciences

AssocCIP: 3001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$44,259

Natl Median: $50,181

Lifetime Value Added

-$16k

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

AssocCIP: 5204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,587

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Commerce, General

AssocCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications

AssocCIP: 1109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,971

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Culinary Arts and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$39,371

Natl Median: $39,605

Lifetime Value Added

-$73k

Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications

AssocCIP: 1106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,480

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

AssocCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,127

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1513

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,895

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1504

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,046

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering, General

AssocCIP: 1401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $72,916

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

AssocCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,073

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)

AssocCIP: 4702

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,236

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Hospitality Administration/Management

AssocCIP: 5209

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,099

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,184

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$7,565

Earnings (4yr)

$40,715

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$51k

Precision Metal Working

AssocCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,451

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$9,730

Earnings (4yr)

$82,623

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$343k

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$20,373

Natl Median: $58,424

Lifetime Value Added

-$252k

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.