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South Texas College
McAllen, TX 16,131 Undergrads 32.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$7,505
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$1,291
After Aid
Median Earnings
$36,788
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$1,291
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$36,788
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate32.3%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients54.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time43.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS46.5%
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
+$372k
-$17k
-$113k
Median Cost$1k/yr
+$369k
-$20k
-$115k
Full Cost$8k/yr
+$358k
-$31k
-$127k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$1k/yr
Never
-4858%
Full Cost$8k/yr
Never
-918%
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-1507%
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-311%
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)
$28,192
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,217
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$19,160
Lifetime Value Added
-$254k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$23,361
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,828
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,124
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$15,535
Lifetime Value Added
-$294k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,070
Lifetime Value Added
-$25k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$216
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,838
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,414
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,598
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
American Sign Language
AssocCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$272k
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,637
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,698
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,259
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,642
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,888
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$21,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,048
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
English Language and Literature, General
AssocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,046
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$22,970
Lifetime Value Added
-$234k
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,743
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,059
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,167
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$22,217
Lifetime Value Added
-$241k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,579
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,308
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$84,408
Lifetime Value Added
+$348k
Social Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,454
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,160
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,678
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,601
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Bachelor's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,869
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,735
Lifetime Value Added
-$71k
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.