Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF

Arapahoe Community College

Littleton, CO · 19 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$148,514 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

29.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
−66%Modeled 10-year ROI
$52,777Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$148,514at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$226,2840
2
4
6
8
−$148,51410
Years after graduationBreak-even: 29.1 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$4,434
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$17,034
Sticker price
Average net price$11,571
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$18,332
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$11,571Average net price / year
$18,332Cost of attendance
$52,777Median earnings · year 5 after completion
29.1%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
5,383Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

68thEarnings percentile
10thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$46,431Year 1
$57,589Year 4
$52,777Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Associate's Degree$83,1502Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications · Associate's Degree$73,2873Computer and Information Sciences, General · Associate's Degree$71,6354Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$64,6625Criminal Justice and Corrections · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$64,1086Business Administration, Management and Operations · Associate's Degree$61,9757Health and Medical Administrative Services · Associate's Degree$60,8178Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate's Degree$60,131

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in CO

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Pueblo, CO

Colorado State University Pueblo

Annual net price
$10,051
Observed earnings · year 5
$54,133
Modeled 10-year ROI
-59%
Open college profile →
Rangely, CO

Colorado Northwestern Community College

Annual net price
$12,131
Observed earnings · year 5
$49,730
Modeled 10-year ROI
-79%
Open college profile →
Lakewood, CO

Red Rocks Community College

Annual net price
$9,044
Observed earnings · year 5
$54,020
Modeled 10-year ROI
-58%
Open college profile →
Grand Junction, CO

Colorado Mesa University

Annual net price
$15,103
Observed earnings · year 5
$53,835
Modeled 10-year ROI
-63%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's Degree$83,150$30,750
Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsAssociate's Degree$73,287Not available
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's Degree$71,635Not available
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$64,662$11,454
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$64,108$21,351
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's Degree$61,975$22,144
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesAssociate's Degree$60,817$25,715
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree$60,131Not available
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$58,888$13,750
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's Degree$57,984Not available
Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesAssociate's Degree$56,165$21,303
Funeral Service and Mortuary ScienceAssociate's Degree$54,411$22,675
Legal Support ServicesAssociate's Degree$53,181$20,750
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$50,280Not available
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree$48,756$15,125
Design and Applied ArtsAssociate's Degree$44,888$15,000
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$43,863Not available
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$39,736$17,962
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's DegreeNot available$27,845

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.