Century College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Century College charges a net price of $10,906/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $43,624. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,424, 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, Century College does not clear its cost — it ranks #44 of 68 Minnesota colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,906/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $43,624 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,424 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,936/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$82,344 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Century College's own numbers. Net price $10,906 × 4 years = $43,624 total. Median earnings $46,424 fall $1,936 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 $43,624 bill in about 4.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Century College students graduate with?
A median $14,250 in federal loans among completers, or 31% of the $46,424 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Century College students graduate?
31% finish their degree — 69% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $43,624 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $140,723 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Century College expensive compared with other Minnesota colleges?
Its $10,906 net price runs $5,915 below the $16,821 median across the 68 Minnesota colleges we profile, and $23,658 less across the full degree.