Cayuga County Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Cayuga County Community College charges a net price of $8,662/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $17,324. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,709, 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, Cayuga County Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #158 of 203 New York colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,662/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $17,324 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,709 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,651/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$210,344 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Cayuga County Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,662 × 2 years = $17,324 total. Median earnings $38,709 fall $9,651 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 $17,324 bill in about 1.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Cayuga County Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 31% of the $38,709 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Cayuga County Community College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $17,324 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $57,747 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Cayuga County Community College expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $8,662 net price runs $10,251 below the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, and $20,502 less across the full degree.