Flathead Valley Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Flathead Valley Community College charges a net price of $8,099/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $16,198. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,520, 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, Flathead Valley Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #13 of 18 Montana colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,099/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $16,198 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,520 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,840/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$212,998 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Flathead Valley Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,099 × 2 years = $16,198 total. Median earnings $38,520 fall $9,840 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 $16,198 bill in about 1.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Flathead Valley Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 27% of the $38,520 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Flathead Valley Community College students graduate?
29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $16,198 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $55,855 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Flathead Valley Community College expensive compared with other Montana colleges?
Its $8,099 net price runs $5,714 below the $13,813 median across the 18 Montana colleges we profile, and $11,428 less across the full degree.