College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Virginia Western Community College

Roanoke, VA 3,777 Undergrads 32.2% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$11,892
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,618
After Aid
Median Earnings
$38,787
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$5,618
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$38,787
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate32.2%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients46.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time39.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.4%

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
+$390k
+$1k
-$94k
Median Cost$6k/yr
+$380k
-$9k
-$104k
Full Cost$12k/yr
+$369k
-$20k
-$116k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$6k/yr
Never
-1011%
Full Cost$12k/yr
Never
-530%
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-834%

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-202%
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

Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$14,670
Earnings (5yr)
$32,974
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,799
Earnings (5yr)
$34,934
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,436
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$19,039
Earnings (5yr)
$48,637
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$238k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,360
Lifetime Value Added
+$172k
Biological and Physical Sciences
AssocCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$6,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,298
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$10,875
Earnings (5yr)
$44,613
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,094
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,387
Lifetime Value Added
-$17k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,687
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$9,091
Earnings (5yr)
$65,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,086
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,297
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,609
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,799
Earnings (5yr)
$35,443
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,871
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$12,789
Earnings (5yr)
$66,295
Lifetime Value Added
+$180k
Social Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$9,346
Earnings (5yr)
$35,551
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k

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.