Community College of Vermont — ROI, Cost & Payback
Community College of Vermont charges a net price of $13,696/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $27,392. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,234, 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, Community College of Vermont does not clear its cost — it ranks #7 of 9 Vermont colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,696/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $27,392 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,234 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,126/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,491 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$269,912 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Community College of Vermont's own numbers. Net price $13,696 × 2 years = $27,392 total. Median earnings $36,234 fall $12,126 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 $27,392 bill in about 2.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Community College of Vermont students graduate with?
A median $10,491 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $36,234 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 Vermont students graduate?
20% finish their degree — 80% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,392 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $136,960 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Community College of Vermont expensive compared with other Vermont colleges?
Its $13,696 net price runs $11,543 below the $25,239 median across the 9 Vermont colleges we profile, and $23,086 less across the full degree.