College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Schoolcraft Community College District

Livonia, MI 6,626 Undergrads 21.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$11,921
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,372
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,722
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,372
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$42,722
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate21.4%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients32.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time28.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS58.1%

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
+$427k
+$38k
-$57k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$417k
+$28k
-$67k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$405k
+$16k
-$79k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-678%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-361%
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-531%

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-141%
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

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,627
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$8,904
Earnings (5yr)
$38,204
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k

Associate's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,161
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,227
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,077
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Computer Software and Media Applications
AssocCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,178
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
$16,325
Earnings (5yr)
$35,743
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,555
Lifetime Value Added
+$307k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$14,912
Earnings (5yr)
$47,164
Lifetime Value Added
+$982
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,227
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,062
Earnings (5yr)
$41,546
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,235
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k

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.