College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Spokane Falls Community College

Spokane, WA 3,199 Undergrads 35.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$15,685
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,409
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,489
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,409
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$44,489
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate35.4%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients34.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time68.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS58.1%

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
+$478k
-$38k
-$7k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$464k
-$51k
-$20k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$449k
-$67k
-$35k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
Never
-148%
Full Cost$16k/yr
Never
-123%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-111%

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-63%
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

American Sign Language
CertCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,771
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$34,849
Natl Median: $33,223
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
CertCIP: 1110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
CertCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Library and Archives Assisting
CertCIP: 2503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,350
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
CertCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,385
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teaching Assistants/Aides
CertCIP: 1315
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $24,479
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$15,466
Earnings (4yr)
$50,979
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$44k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
American Sign Language
AssocCIP: 1616
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,886
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,687
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$255k
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,758
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,801
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$52k
Chemical Engineering
AssocCIP: 1407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,346
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
AssocCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$16,012
Earnings (4yr)
$46,046
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$11,756
Earnings (4yr)
$42,113
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
AssocCIP: 1410
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,477
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Gerontology
AssocCIP: 3011
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,252
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
AssocCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,732
Earnings (4yr)
$42,523
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Library and Archives Assisting
AssocCIP: 2503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,475
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$14,750
Earnings (4yr)
$43,219
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Mechanical Engineering
AssocCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,444
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$15,588
Earnings (4yr)
$38,956
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Physical Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,076
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
AssocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,854
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$14,488
Earnings (4yr)
$35,709
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
AssocCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,072
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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.