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Southern Maine Community College
South Portland, ME 5,675 Undergrads 28.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$18,531
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,086
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,543
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$11,086
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$53,543
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate28.3%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time50.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.2%
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
+$567k
+$51k
+$83k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$547k
+$31k
+$62k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$533k
+$17k
+$49k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
32
306%
Full Cost$19k/yr
35
143%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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 Return375%
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 Return42%
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 (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,655
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Ground Transportation
CertCIP: 4902
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,118
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Services, General
CertCIP: 4400
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services
CertCIP: 4605
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,996
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Associate's Degrees
Agricultural Production Operations
AssocCIP: 0103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,025
Natl Median: $42,438
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$47,252
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$540
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,385
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
Biotechnology
AssocCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,595
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
AssocCIP: 4604
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,378
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$9,150
Earnings (4yr)
$51,990
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Computer Science
AssocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,690
Natl Median: $62,283
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
AssocCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$13,549
Earnings (4yr)
$61,506
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$9,414
Earnings (4yr)
$53,650
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$49,566
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
AssocCIP: 5131
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,029
Natl Median: $44,303
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
$11,377
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
AssocCIP: 2613
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,197
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
AssocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$12,987
Earnings (4yr)
$40,357
Natl Median: $41,787
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$83,075
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$333k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$76,281
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$272k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$12,800
Earnings (4yr)
$64,927
Natl Median: $51,180
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,742
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,080
Natl Median: $39,422
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$8,975
Earnings (4yr)
$42,858
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services
AssocCIP: 4605
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,499
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,312
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
AssocCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$38,045
Natl Median: $36,074
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,509
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$292k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,910
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.