College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Spokane Community College

Spokane, WA 4,114 Undergrads 31.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$14,083
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,206
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,984
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,206
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$41,984
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate31.8%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time72.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.1%

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
+$420k
+$31k
-$64k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$409k
+$20k
-$75k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$395k
+$6k
-$90k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-661%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-347%
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-513%

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-144%
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
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,583
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$6,315
Earnings (5yr)
$34,315
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$14,679
Earnings (5yr)
$51,033
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,807
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,844
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$18,211
Earnings (5yr)
$71,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,334
Earnings (5yr)
$35,047
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,655
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,814
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,304
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,165
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$17,862
Earnings (5yr)
$44,286
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
$16,222
Earnings (2yr)
$35,954
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,585
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$13,931
Earnings (5yr)
$44,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$23k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$17,658
Earnings (5yr)
$80,308
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$14,679
Earnings (5yr)
$49,295
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k

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.