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Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake City, UT 17,247 Undergrads 24.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$12,884
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,661
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,867
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$7,661
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$47,867
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate24.3%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients25.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time32.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS67.0%
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
+$475k
+$86k
-$9k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$461k
+$72k
-$23k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$451k
+$62k
-$33k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-166%
Full Cost$13k/yr
Never
-139%
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-133%
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-60%
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 and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,314
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,603
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$221k
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$7,819
Earnings (5yr)
$40,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$10,083
Earnings (5yr)
$64,574
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$9,053
Earnings (5yr)
$60,960
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Communication and Media Studies
AssocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$8,041
Earnings (5yr)
$83,736
Lifetime Value Added
+$331k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$8,238
Earnings (5yr)
$57,675
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$9,553
Earnings (5yr)
$39,943
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$10,088
Earnings (5yr)
$33,160
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,092
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
English Language and Literature, General
AssocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,116
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
AssocCIP: 1203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$8,500
Earnings (5yr)
$64,034
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$10,250
Earnings (5yr)
$49,153
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$6,750
Earnings (5yr)
$50,966
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Mechanical Engineering
AssocCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,954
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$6,985
Earnings (5yr)
$36,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,076
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Sociology
AssocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$5,750
Earnings (5yr)
$45,444
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$11,049
Earnings (5yr)
$53,039
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$6,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,416
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k
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.