Central Piedmont Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Central Piedmont Community College charges a net price of $3,345/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $6,690. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,865, 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 Piedmont Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #51 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) | $3,345/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $6,690 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,865 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,495/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,925 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$216,590 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Central Piedmont Community College's own numbers. Net price $3,345 × 2 years = $6,690 total. Median earnings $37,865 fall $10,495 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 $6,690 bill in about 0.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Central Piedmont Community College students graduate with?
A median $7,925 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $37,865 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Central Piedmont Community College students graduate?
31% finish their degree — 69% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $6,690 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $21,581 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Central Piedmont Community College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $3,345 net price runs $7,501 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $15,002 less across the full degree.