College ROI

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Shelton State Community College

Tuscaloosa, AL 3,148 Undergrads 22.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$16,460
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,931
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,508
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,931
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$48,508
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$42,045
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate22.7%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age22.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time51.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS52.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 1 Year to Graduation

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
+$553k
+$149k
+$66k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$545k
+$140k
+$58k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$538k
+$133k
+$51k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
24
∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
26
701%
Full Cost$16k/yr
28
335%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return748%

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 Return115%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,273
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,699
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,855
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$167k
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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 (2yr)
$46,321
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
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Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,975
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$91k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,569
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,943
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $27,014
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,916
Natl Median: $70,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
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Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,695
Natl Median: $63,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$265k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,442
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
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Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,661
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
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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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.