Columbia State Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Columbia State Community College charges a net price of $4,734/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $9,468. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,256, 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 State Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #33 of 91 Tennessee colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $4,734/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $9,468 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,256 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,104/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$171,548 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Columbia State Community College's own numbers. Net price $4,734 × 2 years = $9,468 total. Median earnings $40,256 fall $8,104 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 $9,468 bill in about 0.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Columbia State Community College students graduate with?
A median $8,500 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $40,256 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Columbia State Community College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $9,468 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $31,560 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Columbia State Community College expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $4,734 net price runs $10,535 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $21,070 less across the full degree.