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Somerset Community College

Somerset, KY 4,166 Undergrads 34.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$12,959
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,398
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,252
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$4,398
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$43,252
Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+40%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$30,787
Peer Midpoint: $40,451
Graduation Rate34.8%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age25.0
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients70.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time54.6%
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
Assuming 2 Years 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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$465k
-$50k
-$19k
Median Cost$4k/yr
+$457k
-$58k
-$27k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$442k
-$74k
-$43k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$4k/yr
Never
-335%
Full Cost$13k/yr
Never
-180%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-207%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-76%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$26,918
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,422
Earnings (4yr)
$40,411
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Carpenters
CertCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,835
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$8,900
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$10,772
Earnings (4yr)
$23,441
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$204k
Median Debt
$12,937
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$7,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,492
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,130
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$23,121
Earnings (4yr)
$37,827
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,148
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
$9,580
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$8,069
Earnings (4yr)
$38,885
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$10,550
Earnings (5yr)
$45,846
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,891
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k
Median Debt
$9,282
Earnings (4yr)
$51,859
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Median Debt
$14,554
Earnings (5yr)
$32,282
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$8,129
Earnings (4yr)
$47,907
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Median Debt
$12,937
Earnings (5yr)
$43,187
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,221
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$30,140
Earnings (4yr)
$34,743
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,747
Natl Median: $69,017
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (5yr)
$20,574
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$264k
Median Debt
$11,992
Earnings (4yr)
$37,467
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$85k
Median Debt
$10,263
Earnings (4yr)
$43,528
Natl Median: $50,491
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Median Debt
$13,812
Earnings (4yr)
$66,918
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,025
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k

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.