Central Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Central Community College charges a net price of $7,024/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $28,096. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,429, 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 Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #25 of 27 Nebraska colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $7,024/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $28,096 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,429 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,931/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,992 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$206,716 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Central Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,024 × 4 years = $28,096 total. Median earnings $39,429 fall $8,931 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 $28,096 bill in about 2.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Central Community College students graduate with?
A median $7,992 in federal loans among completers, or 20% of the $39,429 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Central Community College students graduate?
48% finish their degree — 52% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $28,096 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $58,533 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Central Community College expensive compared with other Nebraska colleges?
Its $7,024 net price runs $10,526 below the $17,550 median across the 27 Nebraska colleges we profile, and $42,104 less across the full degree.