College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Tri-County Technical College

Pendleton, SC 4,960 Undergrads 32.1% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$16,879
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,807
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,101
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,807
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$40,101
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate32.1%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time64.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS63.4%

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
+$428k
+$103k
-$56k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$423k
+$98k
-$62k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$413k
+$88k
-$72k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-1143%
Full Cost$17k/yr
Never
-459%
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-741%

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-194%
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

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,615
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,034
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,442
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$302k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,059
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$27,065
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,165
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,011
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,785
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$72,019
Lifetime Value Added
+$231k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$5,727
Earnings (5yr)
$40,422
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,143
Lifetime Value Added
+$161k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,993
Lifetime Value Added
+$266k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,754
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k

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.