East Central Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
East Central Community College charges a net price of $5,240/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,480. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,421, 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, East Central Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #22 of 32 Mississippi colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,240/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,480 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,421 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,939/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $5,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$329,260 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on East Central Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,240 × 2 years = $10,480 total. Median earnings $32,421 fall $15,939 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 $10,480 bill in about 1.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do East Central Community College students graduate with?
A median $5,500 in federal loans among completers, or 17% of the $32,421 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of East Central Community College students graduate?
36% finish their degree — 64% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,480 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $29,111 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is East Central Community College expensive compared with other Mississippi colleges?
Its $5,240 net price runs $3,775 below the $9,015 median across the 32 Mississippi colleges we profile, and $7,549 less across the full degree.