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West Virginia Northern Community College
Wheeling, WV 1,014 Undergrads 35.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$13,512
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$5,329
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,901
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$5,329
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$39,901
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate35.3%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients59.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time61.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS53.7%
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
+$432k
-$84k
-$53k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$422k
-$94k
-$62k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$407k
-$109k
-$78k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-639%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-312%
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 Return-448%
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-129%
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 (5yr)
$29,818
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
CertCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,211
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$30,447
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,747
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $72,032
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$5,250
Earnings (4yr)
$39,112
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$39,721
Natl Median: $80,020
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$7,602
Earnings (4yr)
$46,528
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,682
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,611
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$143k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
AssocCIP: 1110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,046
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,739
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,236
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
$11,410
Earnings (4yr)
$35,774
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,768
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Precision Metal Working
AssocCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$10,720
Earnings (4yr)
$68,804
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$216k
Science Technologies/Technicians, Other
AssocCIP: 4199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,780
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Security Science and Technology
AssocCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,839
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $39,409
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Other Programs
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
DegCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,308
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.