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Catawba Valley Community College

⌖ Hickory, NC · 14 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$231,562 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.

—Modeled economic break-even

−104%Modeled 10-year ROI

$44,055Observed 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

−$231,562at year 10

Net gainInvestment not yet recovered

NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED

−$222,1120

−$231,56210

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$2,427

Sticker price

Published out-of-state tuition$7,803

Sticker price

Average net price$10,528

Title IV student average

Cost of attendance$20,446

Tuition + living budget

OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$10,528Average net price / year

$20,446Cost of attendance

$44,055Median earnings · year 5 after completion

35.2%Completion rate

Not availableAdmission rate

2,741Student size

NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

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

47thEarnings percentile

18thCompletion percentile

EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$33,668Year 1

$44,829Year 4

$44,055Year 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$66,385 2Dental Support Services and Allied Professions · Associate's Degree$66,069 3Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Associate's Degree$58,094 4Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$53,870 5Criminal Justice and Corrections · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$43,919 6Precision Metal Working · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$43,883 7Accounting and Related Services · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$43,703 8Business Administration, Management and Operations · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$43,380

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

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in NC

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

Wilmington, NC

Cape Fear Community College

Annual net price: $9,610
Observed earnings · year 5: $44,941
Modeled 10-year ROI: -100%

Open college profile →Morehead City, NC

Carteret Community College

Annual net price: $10,764
Observed earnings · year 5: $41,714
Modeled 10-year ROI: -115%

Open college profile →Asheville, NC

University of North Carolina Asheville

Annual net price: $12,250
Observed earnings · year 5: $42,931
Modeled 10-year ROI: -109%

Open college profile →Pembroke, NC

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Annual net price: $10,260
Observed earnings · year 5: $46,705
Modeled 10-year ROI: -92%

Open college profile →

ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal field	Credential	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	Associate's Degree	$66,385	$17,895
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions	Associate's Degree	$66,069	Not available
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	Associate's Degree	$58,094	$7,125
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$53,870	Not available
Criminal Justice and Corrections	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$43,919	Not available
Precision Metal Working	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$43,883	Not available
Accounting and Related Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$43,703	Not available
Business Administration, Management and Operations	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$43,380	$8,573
Business Administration, Management and Operations	Associate's Degree	$43,089	Not available
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	Associate's Degree	$41,497	$6,429
Health and Medical Administrative Services	Associate's Degree	$36,141	$9,187
Health and Medical Administrative Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$35,653	Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	Associate's Degree	$27,722	Not available
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$25,908	Not available

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.