Impact That Lasts.
Transforming Lives Through College Completion:
Our Social Return on Investment, Explained
Behind these demographics lies the future of the U.S. workforce—talent too valuable to lose. These students represent the largest untapped pool of technologists in the country, standing at the threshold of graduation and careers that fuel innovation and competitiveness.
Just-In-Time Investment
It all starts with a strategic investment in a student's future. Each Last Mile award covers critical expenses that stand between striving students and their degrees.
Average Student Award:
$2,162
With Last Mile's support, students who might otherwise drop out can complete their degrees.
But how much more likely are they to succeed?
Breaking the Dropout Cycle
Our targeted support doesn't just provide funding - it creates a support system that dramatically increases graduation success rates.
Average National Graduation Rate
50%
Graduation Rate of Last Mile Students
74%
Graduation is the turning point for lifetime earning potential. The income gap between those who complete their degree and those forced to stop short is nothing less than staggering.
The economic difference between completing a degree and dropping out is a completely different economic trajectory.
Economic Reality: Degree vs. Dropout
Average salary without a degree
$27,010
Starting salary for a Last Mile graduate
$59,469
$32,459. That’s the annual difference in earnings—and it doesn’t stop after one year. This gap compounds across a lifetime, shaping every opportunity that follows.
Our graduates aren't just earning more - they're landing positions at companies that validate their education and open doors to even greater opportunities.
Proof That Potential Outweighs Privilege
This impact becomes more apparent as this income difference compounds over time.
The “Last Mile Effect” Over a Decade
A $32,000 annual salary difference grows over the years alongside career growth - this gap expands dramatically over time.
THE TEN YEAR SALARY GAP
Half a million dollars. That’s the lifetime economic impact unlocked when a $2,162 award carries a student to graduation. One investment, one degree—and the ripple strengthens entire communities.
Higher incomes contribute significantly more in taxes, funding schools, infrastructure, and community services that benefit everyone.
Building Stronger Communities
10-Year Tax Total: No Degree
$63,370
10-Year Tax Total: Last Mile Graduate
$197,926
Additional tax revenue over ten years
(20% of $510,925 income difference):
$134,556
Every graduate becomes a community investor, contributing to local schools and services than they would have without a degree.
When you weigh increased earnings, tax revenue, and community strength against our investment per student, the return is undeniable.
An Unmatched Return on Investment
$510,925 in additional earnings
$2,162 average Last Mile award
= $246 social return for every $1 invested
Every $1 donated to Last Mile creates $246 in social and economic value by carrying a student to graduation—before even counting the broader community, innovation, and intergenerational impact.
Invest Where Impact Is Proven
Back the nation’s most overlooked source of tech talent—by investing in them at the critical last mile, funders unlock exponential returns—for individuals, communities, and the national economy.
Book a Conversation
Speak with our fund development team to donate and about opportunities for partnership.
Champion Degrees, Not Detours
The return on investment is both extraordinary and immediate.