Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute — ROI, Cost & Payback
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute charges a net price of $10,810/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $21,620. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,515, 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, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute does not clear its cost — it ranks #77 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,810/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $21,620 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,515 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,845/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$298,520 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute's own numbers. Net price $10,810 × 2 years = $21,620 total. Median earnings $34,515 fall $13,845 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 $21,620 bill in about 2.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute students graduate with?
A median $8,750 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $34,515 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute students graduate?
45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $21,620 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $48,044 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $10,810 net price runs $36 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $72 less across the full degree.