College ROI

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Spartanburg Community College

Spartanburg, SC 5,006 Undergrads 29.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$12,449
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$2,954
After Aid
Median Earnings
$50,258
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$2,954
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$50,258
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$40,504
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate29.1%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average starting age (2015-17)24.2
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients55.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time43.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.4%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 1 Year to Graduation

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
+$571k
+$167k
+$85k
Median Cost$3k/yr
+$569k
+$164k
+$82k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$560k
+$156k
+$73k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
23
∞
Median Cost$3k/yr
24
2997%
Full Cost$12k/yr
25
635%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return1325%

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 Return251%
Warning: Read this ROI with care. Most awards here are certificates, so the model prices a one-year program. The earnings figure covers every graduate, including those who finished longer associate programs that pay more. That mix can make the NPV, Social ROI and Pell ROI look much higher than a typical certificate student will see.

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$35,525
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$50,236
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$92k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,933
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$50k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,492
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,755
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $29,652
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,549
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$155k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,768
Natl Median: $45,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,334
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,371
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,708
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,860
Natl Median: $51,859
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,241
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$85,340
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$371k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,751
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,869
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Median Debt
$5,575
Earnings (4yr)
$42,058
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,310
Natl Median: $50,491
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$54,418
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$63,405
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$172k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,466
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k

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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.