Alvin Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Alvin Community College charges a net price of $8,525/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $17,050. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,762, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Alvin Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #75 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,525/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $17,050 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,762 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,598/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $4,519 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$69,010 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Alvin Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,525 × 2 years = $17,050 total. Median earnings $45,762 fall $2,598 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $17,050 bill in about 1.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Alvin Community College students graduate with?
A median $4,519 in federal loans among completers, or 10% of the $45,762 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Alvin Community College students graduate?
24% finish their degree — 76% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $17,050 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $71,042 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Alvin Community College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $8,525 net price runs $10,834 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $21,668 less across the full degree.