Cisco College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Cisco College charges a net price of $9,624/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $38,496. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,092, 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, Cisco College does not clear its cost — it ranks #121 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,624/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $38,496 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,092 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,268/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$223,856 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Cisco College's own numbers. Net price $9,624 × 4 years = $38,496 total. Median earnings $39,092 fall $9,268 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 $38,496 bill in about 3.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Cisco College students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $39,092 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Cisco College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $38,496 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $128,320 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Cisco College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $9,624 net price runs $9,735 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $38,940 less across the full degree.