Arapahoe Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Arapahoe Community College charges a net price of $11,571/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $46,284. Median earnings ten years after entry are $48,341, 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, Arapahoe Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #15 of 50 Colorado colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $11,571/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $46,284 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $48,341 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$19/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,884 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$46,664 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Arapahoe Community College's own numbers. Net price $11,571 × 4 years = $46,284 total. Median earnings $48,341 fall $19 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 $46,284 bill in about 4.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Arapahoe Community College students graduate with?
A median $11,884 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $48,341 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Arapahoe Community College students graduate?
29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $46,284 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $159,600 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Arapahoe Community College expensive compared with other Colorado colleges?
Its $11,571 net price runs $4,897 below the $16,468 median across the 50 Colorado colleges we profile, and $19,586 less across the full degree.