Columbia-Greene Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Columbia-Greene Community College charges a net price of $6,559/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $13,118. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,441, 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, Columbia-Greene Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #116 of 203 New York colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,559/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $13,118 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,441 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,919/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$91,498 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Columbia-Greene Community College's own numbers. Net price $6,559 × 2 years = $13,118 total. Median earnings $44,441 fall $3,919 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 $13,118 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Columbia-Greene Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 27% of the $44,441 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Columbia-Greene Community College students graduate?
46% finish their degree — 54% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $13,118 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $28,517 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Columbia-Greene Community College expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $6,559 net price runs $12,354 below the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, and $24,708 less across the full degree.