College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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San Antonio College

San Antonio, TX 16,067 Undergrads 20.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,576
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,290
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,711
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,290
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$39,711
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate20.1%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time24.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.5%

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
+$399k
+$10k
-$85k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$389k
+$396
-$95k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$378k
-$11k
-$107k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-978%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-501%
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-781%

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-191%
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

Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,043
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,392
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,967
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$9,711
Earnings (5yr)
$42,793
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,633
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,940
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$24,662
Lifetime Value Added
-$224k
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,762
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,043
Lifetime Value Added
-$179k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,779
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,588
Earnings (5yr)
$38,557
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,225
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
AssocCIP: 0907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,238
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$10,293
Earnings (5yr)
$80,688
Lifetime Value Added
+$308k
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,521
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,695
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k

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.