College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Western Technical College

La Crosse, WI 3,183 Undergrads 62.4% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
Share
Total Cost
$17,552
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,615
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,457
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,615
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$56,457
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$48,044
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate62.4%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Average Starting Age24.4
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time43.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS69.0%

Admissions Profile

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

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 1 Year 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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$636k
+$232k
+$150k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$625k
+$221k
+$139k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$620k
+$215k
+$133k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
21
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
22
1288%
Full Cost$18k/yr
23
818%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return1674%

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 Return323%
Warning: Read this ROI with care. Most awards here are certificates, so the model prices a one-year program. The earnings figure covers every graduate, including those who finished longer associate programs that pay more. That mix can make the NPV, Social ROI and Pell ROI look much higher than a typical certificate student will see.

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$42,169
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,930
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$9,166
Earnings (4yr)
$39,638
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$5,375
Earnings (4yr)
$55,416
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
+$139k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,028
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Carpenters
CertCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,860
Natl Median: $41,835
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,675
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,672
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,556
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$270k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$36,635
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,004
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$57,978
Natl Median: $53,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,796
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,418
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,205
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,743
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
CertCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,757
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$53,291
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$55,158
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,711
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $24,479
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,475
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Woodworking
CertCIP: 4807
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,664
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,531
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,833
Earnings (4yr)
$53,218
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$17,360
Earnings (4yr)
$77,010
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,975
Earnings (4yr)
$55,382
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,116
Natl Median: $55,195
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$14,738
Earnings (4yr)
$56,274
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$59,884
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,660
Earnings (4yr)
$38,303
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$9,957
Earnings (4yr)
$82,460
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$329k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,276
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,913
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 (4yr)
$44,586
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$51,118
Natl Median: $54,425
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$66,667
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,556
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
-$120k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
$17,957
Earnings (4yr)
$40,786
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,491
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,074
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,233
Earnings (4yr)
$76,176
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$273k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,329
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Try this program with your own numbers →
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,642
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 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.