Southern Union State Community College

Wadley, AL 4,173 Undergrads 30.3% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$13,637

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$6,142

After Aid

Median Earnings

$50,973

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,142

Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$50,973

Peer Midpoint: $34,461

Graduation Rate30.3%

Peer Midpoint: 68.7%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients40.6%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time60.8%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS55.4%

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

+$587k

+$195k

+$102k

Median Cost$6k/yr

+$581k

+$190k

+$97k

Full Cost$14k/yr

+$574k

+$183k

+$90k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$6k/yr

1699%

Full Cost$14k/yr

710%

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 Return1476%

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 Return290%

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 Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

CertCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,584

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

AssocCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$51,659

Natl Median: $65,389

Lifetime Value Added

+$53k

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

AssocCIP: 5204

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$22,420

Natl Median: $37,587

Lifetime Value Added

-$234k

Business/Commerce, General

AssocCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

AssocCIP: 1204

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$25,047

Natl Median: $27,014

Lifetime Value Added

-$221k

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1513

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,895

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,241

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)

AssocCIP: 4702

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,236

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4703

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$48,041

Natl Median: $69,017

Lifetime Value Added

+$37k

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$16,786

Natl Median: $34,184

Lifetime Value Added

-$295k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$6,500

Earnings (4yr)

$35,177

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$112k

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

AssocCIP: 5139

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$73,863

Natl Median: $62,755

Lifetime Value Added

+$260k

Precision Metal Working

AssocCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$42,682

Natl Median: $56,451

Lifetime Value Added

-$19k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$9,750

Earnings (4yr)

$79,063

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$306k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

AssocCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,162

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,424

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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.