College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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San Diego Miramar College

San Diego, CA 10,740 Undergrads 22.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,428
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$-2,735
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,224
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$-2,735
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$48,224
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate22.9%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients13.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time18.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.9%

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
+$478k
+$89k
-$6k
Median Cost$-3k/yr
+$483k
+$94k
-$951
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$457k
+$68k
-$27k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$-3k/yr
Never
-∞
Full Cost$11k/yr
Never
-128%
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-109%

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-49%
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

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$16,866
Lifetime Value Added
-$276k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,867
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$142k

Associate's Degrees

Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,218
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,895
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k

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.