College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Santa Ana College

Santa Ana, CA 22,011 Undergrads 17.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,848
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$3,854
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,552
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$3,854
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$43,552
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate17.2%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time18.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.6%

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
+$463k
+$138k
-$22k
Median Cost$4k/yr
+$459k
+$134k
-$25k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$452k
+$127k
-$33k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$4k/yr
Never
-712%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-299%
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-431%

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-117%
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

Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,351
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,449
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,080
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,250
Earnings (5yr)
$44,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,602
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,371
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Biological and Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 3001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,876
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,762
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
AssocCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,159
Lifetime Value Added
-$55k
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$114,446
Lifetime Value Added
+$607k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$6,065
Earnings (5yr)
$42,105
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,141
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$90,501
Lifetime Value Added
+$397k

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.