Delaware County Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Delaware County Community College charges a net price of $6,576/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $13,152. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,391, 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, Delaware County Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #115 of 169 Pennsylvania colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,576/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $13,152 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,391 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,969/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$72,532 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Delaware County Community College's own numbers. Net price $6,576 × 2 years = $13,152 total. Median earnings $45,391 fall $2,969 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 $13,152 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Delaware County Community College students graduate with?
A median $13,250 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $45,391 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Delaware County Community College students graduate?
24% finish their degree — 76% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $13,152 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $54,800 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Delaware County Community College expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $6,576 net price runs $15,165 below the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, and $30,330 less across the full degree.