Central Alabama Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Central Alabama Community College charges a net price of $15,996/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $63,984. Median earnings ten years after entry are $33,506, 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, Central Alabama Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #43 of 54 Alabama colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $15,996/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $63,984 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $33,506 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$14,854/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,766 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$361,064 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Central Alabama Community College's own numbers. Net price $15,996 × 4 years = $63,984 total. Median earnings $33,506 fall $14,854 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 $63,984 bill in about 6.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Central Alabama Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,766 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $33,506 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Central Alabama Community College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $63,984 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $193,891 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Central Alabama Community College expensive compared with other Alabama colleges?
Its $15,996 net price runs $1,428 above the $14,569 median across the 54 Alabama colleges we profile, or $5,710 more across the full degree.