College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Spartanburg Community College

Spartanburg, SC 5,063 Undergrads 26.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$15,031
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,531
After Aid
Median Earnings
$37,097
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,531
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$37,097
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate26.3%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time45.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.9%

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
+$374k
-$14k
-$110k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$362k
-$26k
-$122k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$347k
-$42k
-$137k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
Never
-1016%
Full Cost$15k/yr
Never
-498%
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-784%

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-201%
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 (5yr)
$31,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$175k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,950
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,887
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,697
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$6,100
Earnings (5yr)
$66,900
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$7,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,215
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,529
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,445
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,696
Lifetime Value Added
+$262k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$5,471
Earnings (5yr)
$39,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,371
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,698
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$7,950
Earnings (5yr)
$76,227
Lifetime Value Added
+$267k

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.