Cowley County Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Cowley County Community College charges a net price of $7,175/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $28,700. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,723, 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, Cowley County Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #48 of 57 Kansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $7,175/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $28,700 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,723 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,637/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$241,440 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Cowley County Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,175 × 4 years = $28,700 total. Median earnings $37,723 fall $10,637 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 $28,700 bill in about 2.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Cowley County Community College students graduate with?
A median $8,000 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $37,723 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Cowley County Community College students graduate?
45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $28,700 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $63,778 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Cowley County Community College expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $7,175 net price runs $8,105 below the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, and $32,420 less across the full degree.