College of the Albemarle — ROI, Cost & Payback
College of the Albemarle charges a net price of $2,253/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $4,506. Median earnings ten years after entry are $33,234, 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, College of the Albemarle does not clear its cost — it ranks #84 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $2,253/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $4,506 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $33,234 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,126/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$307,026 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on College of the Albemarle's own numbers. Net price $2,253 × 2 years = $4,506 total. Median earnings $33,234 fall $15,126 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 $4,506 bill in about 0.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of College of the Albemarle students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $4,506 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $12,874 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is College of the Albemarle expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $2,253 net price runs $8,593 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $17,186 less across the full degree.