Western Piedmont Community College

Morganton, NC 1,339 Undergrads 37.0% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$16,642

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$6,448

After Aid

Median Earnings

$41,714

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,448

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$41,714

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate37.0%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients53.3%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time32.3%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS49.8%

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

+$450k

-$66k

-$34k

Median Cost$6k/yr

+$438k

-$77k

-$46k

Full Cost$17k/yr

+$419k

-$96k

-$65k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$6k/yr

Never

-391%

Full Cost$17k/yr

Never

-213%

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-275%

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-101%

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)

$33,649

Natl Median: $34,272

Lifetime Value Added

-$99k

American Sign Language

CertCIP: 1616

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,771

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 1502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,028

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 1512

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

CertCIP: 1204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $26,307

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

CertCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$50,871

Natl Median: $57,702

Lifetime Value Added

+$95k

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

CertCIP: 5106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$30,218

Natl Median: $33,673

Lifetime Value Added

-$130k

Graphic Communications

CertCIP: 1003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $32,130

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Precision Metal Working

CertCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,702

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

AssocCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,660

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Agricultural Production Operations

AssocCIP: 0103

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,438

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

AssocCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$33,722

Natl Median: $42,269

Lifetime Value Added

-$134k

Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services

AssocCIP: 0106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,283

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection

AssocCIP: 4604

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,378

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $64,519

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,472

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1512

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,195

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

AssocCIP: 1204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $27,014

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$46,450

Natl Median: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

+$1k

Design and Applied Arts

AssocCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,127

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1503

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $67,792

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1504

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,046

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Graphic Communications

AssocCIP: 1003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,221

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

AssocCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,073

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

Earnings (4yr)

$37,986

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$84k

Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1508

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $64,773

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,734

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

AssocCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,634

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

Earnings (4yr)

$72,011

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$242k

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

AssocCIP: 5123

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,854

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.