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Wilkes Community College
Wilkesboro, NC 1,355 Undergrads 46.4% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$9,844
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$-264
After Aid
Median Earnings
$41,911
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$-264
Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$41,911
Peer Midpoint: $34,461
Graduation Rate46.4%
Peer Midpoint: 68.7%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients55.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time52.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS57.4%
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
+$489k
+$98k
+$5k
Median Cost$-0k/yr
+$490k
+$98k
+$5k
Full Cost$10k/yr
+$480k
+$89k
-$4k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
45
∞
Median Cost$-0k/yr
44
∞
Full Cost$10k/yr
Never
-45%
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 Return54%
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-6%
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
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,589
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Agricultural Production Operations
CertCIP: 0103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,010
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
CertCIP: 0106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,705
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
CertCIP: 4604
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
CertCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$52,707
Natl Median: $57,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
CertCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $30,572
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $33,673
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Design and Applied Arts
CertCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,116
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
CertCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,354
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,365
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
CertCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$40,216
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
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)
$31,127
Natl Median: $42,438
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$30,091
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,849
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
AssocCIP: 0106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,767
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$41,409
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,246
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,271
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,727
Natl Median: $39,605
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,087
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$269k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,641
Natl Median: $62,343
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$34,852
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,897
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$68,076
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,738
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
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.