College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Santa Barbara City College

Santa Barbara, CA 10,070 Undergrads 30.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$18,682
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,029
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,647
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,029
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$47,647
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate30.4%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients19.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time50.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.4%

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
+$473k
+$84k
-$11k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$455k
+$66k
-$30k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$439k
+$50k
-$46k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-161%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-133%
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-134%

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-75%
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 and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,990
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Communication and Media Studies
AssocCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,515
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,295
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$18,360
Earnings (5yr)
$106,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$522k

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.