Austin Community College District — ROI, Cost & Payback
Austin Community College District charges a net price of $6,390/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $12,780. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,177, 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, Austin Community College District does not clear its cost — it ranks #81 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) | $6,390/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $12,780 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,177 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,183/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,499 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$116,440 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Austin Community College District's own numbers. Net price $6,390 × 2 years = $12,780 total. Median earnings $43,177 fall $5,183 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 $12,780 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Austin Community College District students graduate with?
A median $10,499 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $43,177 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Austin Community College District students graduate?
20% finish their degree — 80% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $12,780 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $63,900 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Austin Community College District expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $6,390 net price runs $12,969 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $25,938 less across the full degree.