Community College of Rhode Island — ROI, Cost & Payback
Community College of Rhode Island charges a net price of $6,513/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $13,026. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,659, 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 Rhode Island does not clear its cost — it ranks #11 of 14 Rhode Island colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,513/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $13,026 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,659 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,701/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,920 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$127,046 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Community College of Rhode Island's own numbers. Net price $6,513 × 2 years = $13,026 total. Median earnings $42,659 fall $5,701 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 $13,026 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Community College of Rhode Island students graduate with?
A median $10,920 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $42,659 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 Rhode Island students graduate?
26% finish their degree — 74% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $13,026 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $50,100 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Community College of Rhode Island expensive compared with other Rhode Island colleges?
Its $6,513 net price runs $22,790 below the $29,303 median across the 14 Rhode Island colleges we profile, and $45,579 less across the full degree.