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Shelton State Community College
Tuscaloosa, AL 3,148 Undergrads 22.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$20,350
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,557
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,082
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,557
Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$50,082
Peer Midpoint: $34,461
Graduation Rate22.0%
Peer Midpoint: 68.7%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time51.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS53.3%
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
+$577k
+$186k
+$93k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$564k
+$172k
+$80k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$559k
+$167k
+$74k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
23
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
25
589%
Full Cost$20k/yr
26
393%
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 Return859%
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 Return139%
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
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,060
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,034
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,855
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
CertCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,647
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,520
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,975
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,569
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,943
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
AssocCIP: 1204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $27,014
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$259k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,695
Natl Median: $63,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1505
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,442
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,661
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$260k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,424
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.