College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Southern California Institute of Technology

Anaheim, CA 533 Undergrads 79.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$33,835
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$27,735
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,598
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$27,735
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$53,598
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate79.7%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients72.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
87.5%
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
+$561k
+$236k
+$77k
Median Cost$28k/yr
+$535k
+$211k
+$51k
Full Cost$34k/yr
+$530k
+$205k
+$45k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
24
∞
Median Cost$28k/yr
30
198%
Full Cost$34k/yr
31
144%
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 Return377%

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 Return21%
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

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
CertCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,082
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,044
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,459
Lifetime Value Added
+$213k

Bachelor's Degrees

Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$33,384
Earnings (5yr)
$74,370
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,529
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$34,302
Earnings (5yr)
$71,932
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k

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.