Coastal Alabama Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Coastal Alabama Community College charges a net price of $13,644/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $54,576. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,894, 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, Coastal Alabama Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #36 of 54 Alabama colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,644/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $54,576 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,894 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,466/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$323,896 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Coastal Alabama Community College's own numbers. Net price $13,644 × 4 years = $54,576 total. Median earnings $34,894 fall $13,466 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 $54,576 bill in about 5.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Coastal Alabama Community College students graduate with?
A median $11,000 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $34,894 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Coastal Alabama Community College students graduate?
31% finish their degree — 69% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $54,576 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $176,052 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Coastal Alabama Community College expensive compared with other Alabama colleges?
Its $13,644 net price runs $925 below the $14,569 median across the 54 Alabama colleges we profile, and $3,698 less across the full degree.