College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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San Joaquin Delta College

Stockton, CA 13,964 Undergrads 29.9% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$17,137
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,508
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,212
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,508
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$43,212
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate29.9%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time55.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS55.9%

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
+$432k
+$43k
-$52k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$416k
+$27k
-$68k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$400k
+$11k
-$84k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
Never
-436%
Full Cost$17k/yr
Never
-267%
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-374%

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-123%
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

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
CertCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$51,612
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,840
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,128
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,306
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,892
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,494
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,161
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,621
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Social Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k

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.