Community College of Aurora — ROI, Cost & Payback
Community College of Aurora charges a net price of $8,656/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $17,312. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,592, 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, Community College of Aurora does not clear its cost — it ranks #17 of 50 Colorado colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,656/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $17,312 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,592 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,768/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$92,672 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Community College of Aurora's own numbers. Net price $8,656 × 2 years = $17,312 total. Median earnings $44,592 fall $3,768 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 $17,312 bill in about 1.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Community College of Aurora students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $44,592 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Community College of Aurora students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $17,312 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $52,461 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Community College of Aurora expensive compared with other Colorado colleges?
Its $8,656 net price runs $7,812 below the $16,468 median across the 50 Colorado colleges we profile, and $15,623 less across the full degree.