Finger Lakes Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Finger Lakes Community College charges a net price of $13,898/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $27,796. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,054, 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, Finger Lakes Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #153 of 203 New York colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,898/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $27,796 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,054 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,306/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,975 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$193,916 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Finger Lakes Community College's own numbers. Net price $13,898 × 2 years = $27,796 total. Median earnings $40,054 fall $8,306 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 $27,796 bill in about 2.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Finger Lakes Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,975 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $40,054 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Finger Lakes Community College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,796 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $92,653 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Finger Lakes Community College expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $13,898 net price runs $5,015 below the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, and $10,030 less across the full degree.