College ROI

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Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology

Wichita, KS 2,828 Undergrads 48.4% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$18,414
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,348
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,091
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,348
Peer Midpoint: $17,726
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$52,091
Peer Midpoint: $36,184
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$45,120
Peer Midpoint: $36,543
Graduation Rate48.4%
Peer Midpoint: 69.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age27.7
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time53.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS62.6%

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
+$591k
+$186k
+$104k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$581k
+$177k
+$95k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$573k
+$169k
+$87k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
22
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
24
985%
Full Cost$18k/yr
25
509%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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 Return1078%

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 Return185%
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)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Carpenters
CertCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,835
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,498
Natl Median: $27,180
Lifetime Value Added
-$258k
Median Debt
$3,300
Earnings (4yr)
$43,482
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,982
Natl Median: $54,024
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,963
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,720
Earnings (4yr)
$53,392
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$47,570
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$28,486
Natl Median: $42,999
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$9,805
Earnings (4yr)
$71,192
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$301k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$7,598
Earnings (4yr)
$43,867
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$32k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$34,620
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Carpenters
AssocCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,412
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,726
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,422
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,017
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,491
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $86,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$7,625
Earnings (5yr)
$53,564
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,392
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,117
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,460
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.