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Volunteer State Community College
Gallatin, TN 5,339 Undergrads 27.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$16,401
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,802
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,655
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$7,802
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$47,655
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate27.2%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients41.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time66.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.6%
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
+$509k
-$6k
+$25k
Median Cost$8k/yr
+$495k
-$21k
+$11k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$479k
-$36k
-$5k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
37
∞
Median Cost$8k/yr
47
74%
Full Cost$16k/yr
Never
-17%
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 Return81%
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-23%
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
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services
CertCIP: 0105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $28,266
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$4,750
Earnings (4yr)
$58,508
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$8,750
Earnings (4yr)
$51,709
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$9,973
Earnings (4yr)
$54,956
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$9,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,909
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$72k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (4yr)
$45,407
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,113
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Education, General
AssocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,014
Natl Median: $41,787
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$63,005
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$182k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
AssocCIP: 5199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,180
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$6,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,145
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Medical Illustration and Informatics
AssocCIP: 5127
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5118
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,724
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$33,013
Natl Median: $41,460
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
AssocCIP: 5001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,799
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.