College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Western Oklahoma State College

Altus, OK 815 Undergrads 30.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$15,372
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,267
After Aid
Median Earnings
$48,797
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,267
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$48,797
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate30.0%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time58.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.5%

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
+$521k
+$5k
+$36k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$507k
-$8k
+$23k
Full Cost$15k/yr
+$492k
-$23k
+$8k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
Median Cost$7k/yr
40
171%
Full Cost$15k/yr
51
28%
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 Return167%

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-1%
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

Associate's Degrees

Agricultural Business and Management
AssocCIP: 0101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other
AssocCIP: 0199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,835
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
AssocCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,758
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,188
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
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
Leisure and Recreational Activities
AssocCIP: 3601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,796
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (4yr)
$33,501
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Mathematics
AssocCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanics and Repairers, General
AssocCIP: 4700
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,973
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physical Sciences, Other
AssocCIP: 4099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,862
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
AssocCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,147
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, Other
AssocCIP: 4299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,067
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (4yr)
$87,825
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$383k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
AssocCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,162
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
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.