College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ 5,377 Undergrads 20.6% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$19,281
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,336
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,858
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,336
Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$53,858
Peer Midpoint: $34,461
Graduation Rate20.6%
Peer Midpoint: 68.7%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients22.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time28.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.3%

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
+$617k
+$226k
+$133k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$605k
+$213k
+$121k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$599k
+$208k
+$115k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
22
Median Cost$13k/yr
23
974%
Full Cost$19k/yr
24
643%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return1344%

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 Return253%
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services
CertCIP: 0105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $28,266
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
CertCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,223
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business/Commerce, General
CertCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,727
Natl Median: $60,097
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Software and Media Applications
CertCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Systems Analysis
CertCIP: 1105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,363
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
CertCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,191
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Dance
CertCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $28,839
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
CertCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
CertCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,337
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
CertCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,800
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
CertCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,440
Natl Median: $36,104
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Hospitality Administration/Management
CertCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
CertCIP: 5213
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,309
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Movement and Mind-Body Therapies and Education
CertCIP: 5136
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,149
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
CertCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,318
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Natural Sciences
CertCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,915
Natl Median: $53,855
Lifetime Value Added
+$221k
Security Science and Technology
CertCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services
AssocCIP: 0105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
AssocCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,370
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,264
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$160k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Software and Media Applications
AssocCIP: 1108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Systems Analysis
AssocCIP: 1105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,167
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,971
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,795
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Dance
AssocCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,547
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,898
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
AssocCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,773
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
AssocCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,864
Natl Median: $33,186
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,768
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,013
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
AssocCIP: 3101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,310
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,882
Natl Median: $49,076
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$7,000
Earnings (4yr)
$79,451
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$296k
Security Science and Technology
AssocCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,839
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Visual and Performing Arts, General
AssocCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,799
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Business/Commerce, General
DegCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,047
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
DegCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,919
Natl Median: $48,220
Lifetime Value Added
-$384k
Natural Sciences
DegCIP: 3018
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,453
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.