Seattle Central College

Seattle, WA 3,953 Undergrads 40.1% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$17,889

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$8,819

After Aid

Median Earnings

$60,072

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,819

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$60,072

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate40.1%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients27.4%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time61.9%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS60.3%

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

+$629k

+$114k

+$145k

Median Cost$9k/yr

+$613k

+$98k

+$129k

Full Cost$18k/yr

+$597k

+$81k

+$112k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$9k/yr

796%

Full Cost$18k/yr

342%

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 Return753%

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 Return137%

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

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

CertCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,272

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

CertCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,584

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection

CertCIP: 4604

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Programming

CertCIP: 1102

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,556

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/Information Technology Administration and Management

CertCIP: 1110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,615

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

CertCIP: 1204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $26,307

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Culinary Arts and Related Services

CertCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $30,572

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

CertCIP: 5106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $33,673

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Marine Transportation

CertCIP: 4903

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,975

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

CertCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,365

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

AssocCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$60,771

Natl Median: $44,691

Lifetime Value Added

+$158k

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

AssocCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,389

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

AssocCIP: 5204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,587

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Commerce, General

AssocCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$64,128

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

+$167k

Carpenters

AssocCIP: 4602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Programming

AssocCIP: 1102

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,070

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

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

AssocCIP: 1110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,726

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Culinary Arts and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$53,946

Natl Median: $39,605

Lifetime Value Added

+$70k

Design and Applied Arts

AssocCIP: 5004

Median Debt

$11,500

Earnings (4yr)

$43,416

Natl Median: $38,127

Lifetime Value Added

-$34k

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 5100

Median Debt

$11,600

Earnings (4yr)

$95,486

Natl Median: $51,180

Lifetime Value Added

+$449k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$8,733

Earnings (4yr)

$47,506

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

+$7k

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,734

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physical Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 4001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,076

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$12,457

Earnings (4yr)

$88,826

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$389k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

AssocCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,656

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,424

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Woodworking

AssocCIP: 4807

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,867

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

BachCIP: 1110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $85,063

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General

BachCIP: 5100

Median Debt

$18,907

Earnings (4yr)

$85,809

Natl Median: $61,296

Lifetime Value Added

+$219k

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.