College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Washtenaw Community College

Ann Arbor, MI 7,736 Undergrads 28.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$11,161
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$3,561
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,449
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$3,561
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$39,449
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate28.8%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients35.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time29.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.1%

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
+$422k
+$97k
-$63k
Median Cost$4k/yr
+$418k
+$94k
-$66k
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$411k
+$87k
-$73k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$4k/yr
Never
-1998%
Full Cost$11k/yr
Never
-706%
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-1185%

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-265%
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)
$27,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,308
Lifetime Value Added
+$253k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (2yr)
$36,131
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies
CertCIP: 5126
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,926
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,896
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,921
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
AssocCIP: 4604
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$64,493
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$13,566
Earnings (5yr)
$60,274
Lifetime Value Added
+$129k
Community Organization and Advocacy
AssocCIP: 4402
Median Debt
$17,724
Earnings (5yr)
$42,566
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,658
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$148k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,933
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
AssocCIP: 5006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,602
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$11,773
Earnings (5yr)
$50,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$11,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$357k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$12,500
Earnings (5yr)
$37,041
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$35,315
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$16,851
Earnings (5yr)
$73,371
Lifetime Value Added
+$247k

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.