Colby Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Colby Community College charges a net price of $7,886/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $31,544. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,889, 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, Colby Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #35 of 57 Kansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $7,886/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $31,544 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,889 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,471/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,908 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$160,964 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Colby Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,886 × 4 years = $31,544 total. Median earnings $41,889 fall $6,471 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 $31,544 bill in about 3.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Colby Community College students graduate with?
A median $8,908 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $41,889 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Colby Community College students graduate?
55% finish their degree — 45% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $31,544 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $57,353 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Colby Community College expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $7,886 net price runs $7,394 below the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, and $29,576 less across the full degree.