Forsyth Technical Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Forsyth Technical Community College charges a net price of $7,200/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $14,400. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,139, 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, Forsyth Technical Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #78 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $7,200/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $14,400 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,139 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$14,221/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$298,820 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Forsyth Technical Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,200 × 2 years = $14,400 total. Median earnings $34,139 fall $14,221 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 $14,400 bill in about 1.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Forsyth Technical Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,000 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $34,139 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Forsyth Technical Community College students graduate?
34% finish their degree — 66% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $14,400 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $42,353 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Forsyth Technical Community College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $7,200 net price runs $3,646 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $7,292 less across the full degree.