Fort Scott Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Fort Scott Community College charges a net price of $5,586/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $22,344. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,213, 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, Fort Scott Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #49 of 57 Kansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,586/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $22,344 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,213 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,147/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$245,284 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Fort Scott Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,586 × 4 years = $22,344 total. Median earnings $37,213 fall $11,147 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 $22,344 bill in about 2.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Fort Scott Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $37,213 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Fort Scott Community College students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $22,344 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $63,840 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Fort Scott Community College expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $5,586 net price runs $9,694 below the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, and $38,776 less across the full degree.