College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Somerset Community College

Somerset, KY 3,899 Undergrads 32.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$12,464
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$3,913
After Aid
Median Earnings
$30,787
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$3,913
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$30,787
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate32.9%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients67.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time55.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS45.2%

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
+$335k
+$10k
-$150k
Median Cost$4k/yr
+$331k
+$6k
-$153k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$323k
-$2k
-$161k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$4k/yr
Never
-4226%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-1395%
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-2459%

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-512%
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 (5yr)
$26,918
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
$10,772
Earnings (5yr)
$15,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$295k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$8,069
Earnings (5yr)
$46,467
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$10,550
Earnings (5yr)
$45,846
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,997
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$9,282
Earnings (5yr)
$47,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$14,554
Earnings (5yr)
$32,282
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$8,129
Earnings (5yr)
$42,962
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$12,937
Earnings (5yr)
$43,187
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$30,140
Earnings (5yr)
$28,253
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,747
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$20,574
Lifetime Value Added
-$263k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$11,992
Earnings (5yr)
$33,004
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$10,263
Earnings (5yr)
$31,828
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,812
Earnings (5yr)
$69,162
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,025
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k

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.