College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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South Louisiana Community College

Lafayette, LA 4,837 Undergrads 43.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$15,723
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$9,684
After Aid
Median Earnings
$31,432
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$9,684
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$31,432
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate43.1%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients57.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time59.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS49.3%

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
+$341k
+$16k
-$143k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$332k
+$7k
-$152k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$327k
+$2k
-$158k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-1694%
Full Cost$16k/yr
Never
-1082%
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-1888%

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-411%
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
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$27,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$171k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,787
Lifetime Value Added
+$102k
Marine Transportation
CertCIP: 4903
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$13,062
Earnings (5yr)
$43,025
Lifetime Value Added
-$1000
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
$5,750
Earnings (5yr)
$41,830
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k

Associate's Degrees

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,396
Lifetime Value Added
-$295k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$12,400
Earnings (2yr)
$24,730
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,375
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$15,210
Earnings (5yr)
$34,467
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,125
Earnings (2yr)
$62,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$169k

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.