Central Maine Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Central Maine Community College charges a net price of $6,975/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $13,950. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,448, 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 Maine Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #13 of 27 Maine colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,975/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $13,950 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,448 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,912/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$132,190 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Central Maine Community College's own numbers. Net price $6,975 × 2 years = $13,950 total. Median earnings $42,448 fall $5,912 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 $13,950 bill in about 1.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Central Maine Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $42,448 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Central Maine Community College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $13,950 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $46,500 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Central Maine Community College expensive compared with other Maine colleges?
Its $6,975 net price runs $10,205 below the $17,180 median across the 27 Maine colleges we profile, and $20,410 less across the full degree.