Clark State College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Clark State College charges a net price of $12,135/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $48,540. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,584, 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, Clark State College does not clear its cost — it ranks #102 of 144 Ohio colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $12,135/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $48,540 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,584 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,776/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,490 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$224,060 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Clark State College's own numbers. Net price $12,135 × 4 years = $48,540 total. Median earnings $39,584 fall $8,776 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 $48,540 bill in about 4.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Clark State College students graduate with?
A median $14,490 in federal loans among completers, or 37% of the $39,584 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Clark State College students graduate?
22% finish their degree — 78% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $48,540 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $220,636 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Clark State College expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $12,135 net price runs $7,648 below the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, and $30,590 less across the full degree.