Big Sandy Community and Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Big Sandy Community and Technical College charges a net price of $3,873/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $15,492. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,954, 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, Big Sandy Community and Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #42 of 51 Kentucky colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $3,873/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $15,492 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,954 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,406/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,357 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$323,612 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Big Sandy Community and Technical College's own numbers. Net price $3,873 × 4 years = $15,492 total. Median earnings $32,954 fall $15,406 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 $15,492 bill in about 1.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Big Sandy Community and Technical College students graduate with?
A median $9,357 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $32,954 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Big Sandy Community and Technical College students graduate?
38% finish their degree — 62% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $15,492 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $40,768 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Big Sandy Community and Technical College expensive compared with other Kentucky colleges?
Its $3,873 net price runs $10,234 below the $14,107 median across the 51 Kentucky colleges we profile, and $40,936 less across the full degree.