Fortis College-Columbia — ROI, Cost & Payback
Fortis College-Columbia charges a net price of $20,404/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $81,616. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,368, 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, Fortis College-Columbia does not clear its cost — it ranks #47 of 60 South 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) | $20,404/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $81,616 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,368 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,992/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,547 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$321,456 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Fortis College-Columbia's own numbers. Net price $20,404 × 4 years = $81,616 total. Median earnings $36,368 fall $11,992 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 $81,616 bill in about 8.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Fortis College-Columbia students graduate with?
A median $12,547 in federal loans among completers, or 35% of the $36,368 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Fortis College-Columbia students graduate?
43% finish their degree — 57% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $81,616 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $189,805 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Fortis College-Columbia expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $20,404 net price runs $4,410 above the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, or $17,638 more across the full degree.