College ROI

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West Georgia Technical College

Waco, GA 5,163 Undergrads 35.5% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$11,209
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$2,457
After Aid
Median Earnings
$43,835
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$2,457
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$43,835
Peer Midpoint: $50,128
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$35,479
Peer Midpoint: $40,451
Graduation Rate35.5%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age25.9
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients55.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time32.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS54.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 2 Years to Graduation

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$471k
-$44k
-$13k
Median Cost$2k/yr
+$467k
-$49k
-$18k
Full Cost$11k/yr
+$451k
-$65k
-$34k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$2k/yr
Never
-391%
Full Cost$11k/yr
Never
-164%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-173%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-61%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$34,424
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$55,652
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$149k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
-$214k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$33,709
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$7,274
Earnings (4yr)
$20,155
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Data Processing
CertCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,061
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$29,194
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
CertCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,436
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,022
Natl Median: $52,118
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,833
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,377
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,981
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,907
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,433
Earnings (4yr)
$36,888
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$52k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,876
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,020
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,975
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$17,031
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,547
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,897
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Median Debt
$12,166
Earnings (4yr)
$58,535
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,202
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,898
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,798
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
-$353
Computer Programming
AssocCIP: 1102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,382
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$28k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,783
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Data Processing
AssocCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,859
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$67,871
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
+$212k
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Natl Median: $63,241
Lifetime Value Added
+$136k
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other
AssocCIP: 1599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fire Protection
AssocCIP: 4302
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,439
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,288
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$15,995
Earnings (4yr)
$93,886
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$446k
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$32,604
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k

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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.