College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Saint Louis Community College

Bridgeton, MO 11,174 Undergrads 18.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$12,053
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,458
After Aid
Median Earnings
$35,325
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,458
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$35,325
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate18.1%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time41.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS50.5%

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
+$358k
-$31k
-$127k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$346k
-$43k
-$138k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$336k
-$53k
-$149k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-1168%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-672%
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-1087%

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-253%
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 (5yr)
$50,004
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,580
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$8,250
Earnings (5yr)
$62,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$147k
American Sign Language
AssocCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,138
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,203
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,405
Lifetime Value Added
+$1k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,232
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,906
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,360
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,618
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$11,584
Earnings (5yr)
$32,588
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,721
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$5,250
Earnings (5yr)
$41,960
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$8,500
Earnings (5yr)
$71,595
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,867
Lifetime Value Added
-$53k

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.