College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Vernon College

Vernon, TX 2,113 Undergrads 28.9% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$14,564
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$6,404
After Aid
Median Earnings
$53,885
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,404
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$53,885
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate28.9%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients48.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time32.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.3%

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
+$570k
+$55k
+$86k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$559k
+$43k
+$74k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$544k
+$28k
+$59k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
27
Median Cost$6k/yr
29
631%
Full Cost$15k/yr
33
221%
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 Return527%

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 Return86%
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
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,771
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$11,146
Earnings (4yr)
$47,781
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$21,410
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$6,926
Earnings (4yr)
$60,891
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$200k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Agricultural Business and Management
AssocCIP: 0101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs
AssocCIP: 0113
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,245
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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)
-
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
AssocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
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
English Language and Literature, General
AssocCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,134
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1505
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
AssocCIP: 5111
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,372
Natl Median: $51,711
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,197
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Mathematics
AssocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,552
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,624
Earnings (4yr)
$81,046
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$323k
Sociology
AssocCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,144
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
AssocCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,424
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.