College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Southern Technical College

Fort Myers, FL 532 Undergrads 35.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,949
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,026
After Aid
Median Earnings
$36,155
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,026
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$36,155
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate35.4%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients71.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.5%

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
+$389k
+$64k
-$96k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$366k
+$42k
-$118k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$363k
+$38k
-$122k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
Never
-529%
Full Cost$28k/yr
Never
-469%
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-769%

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-212%
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
$11,098
Earnings (5yr)
$29,532
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$14,333
Earnings (5yr)
$36,584
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,768
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,297
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$29,430
Earnings (5yr)
$41,832
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,459
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,752
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$24,666
Earnings (5yr)
$75,515
Lifetime Value Added
+$228k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$36,852
Lifetime Value Added
-$217k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,581
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,757
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k

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.