College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Southwest Texas College

Uvalde, TX 3,170 Undergrads 32.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$13,579
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,634
After Aid
Median Earnings
$35,563
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,634
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$35,563
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate32.9%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients66.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time51.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS50.8%

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
+$360k
-$29k
-$124k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$346k
-$43k
-$138k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$335k
-$54k
-$149k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
Never
-987%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-599%
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-960%

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-233%
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

Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
CertCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,312
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,642
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,290
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$55,964
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$30,793
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$15,552
Lifetime Value Added
-$312k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,931
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$284k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$6,500
Earnings (5yr)
$36,342
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,744
Lifetime Value Added
+$313k

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.