College ROI

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Spokane Community College

Spokane, WA 4,533 Undergrads 36.6% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$13,839
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,473
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,567
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,473
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$52,567
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+25%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$41,984
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate36.6%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age27.9
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time71.0%
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
Assuming 4 Years 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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$475k
+$8k
-$9k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$455k
-$12k
-$29k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$425k
-$42k
-$59k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-148%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-119%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-97%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-55%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
$20,775
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,930
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,403
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,347
Earnings (4yr)
$34,778
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$6,460
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$6,315
Earnings (4yr)
$46,638
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$5,383
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,078
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,211
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
CertCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,263
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Forestry
CertCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,345
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,118
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,373
Earnings (4yr)
$42,728
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,962
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $29,031
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,102
Earnings (4yr)
$41,662
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$14,679
Earnings (4yr)
$46,293
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$18,807
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,624
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Median Debt
$18,211
Earnings (4yr)
$75,710
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$277k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,758
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,334
Earnings (5yr)
$35,047
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,802
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,405
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$71k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,610
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
AssocCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $27,014
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,015
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,311
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,304
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,859
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,477
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,198
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$246k
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
AssocCIP: 0302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,169
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Forestry
AssocCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,725
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,862
Earnings (4yr)
$48,371
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Median Debt
$16,222
Earnings (4yr)
$60,443
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
+$138k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,585
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Median Debt
$13,931
Earnings (4yr)
$47,819
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,491
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,884
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,076
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,458
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Median Debt
$17,658
Earnings (4yr)
$83,272
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$345k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$14,679
Earnings (4yr)
$48,310
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,155
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 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.