College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Western Iowa Tech Community College

Sioux City, IA 2,589 Undergrads 49.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$14,300
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$8,875
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,473
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$8,875
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$40,473
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate49.7%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time56.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS60.4%

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
+$432k
+$107k
-$52k
Median Cost$9k/yr
+$424k
+$99k
-$61k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$419k
+$94k
-$66k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$9k/yr
Never
-737%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-496%
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-804%

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-201%
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

Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$12,138
Earnings (5yr)
$34,045
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
CertCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$5,665
Earnings (5yr)
$48,017
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
CertCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,797
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Carpenters
CertCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$220k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$34,615
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,283
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$11,500
Earnings (5yr)
$27,091
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$8,931
Earnings (5yr)
$53,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,346
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 0183
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,578
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,984
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,330
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Graphic Communications
AssocCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,284
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Lifetime Value Added
-$172k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$11,034
Earnings (5yr)
$40,777
Lifetime Value Added
-$68k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,897
Earnings (5yr)
$67,617
Lifetime Value Added
+$186k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,703
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k

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.