Great Basin College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Great Basin College charges a net price of $8,471/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $33,884. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,289, 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, Great Basin College does not clear its cost — it ranks #10 of 22 Nevada colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,471/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $33,884 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,289 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,071/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $15,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$215,304 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Great Basin College's own numbers. Net price $8,471 × 4 years = $33,884 total. Median earnings $39,289 fall $9,071 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 $33,884 bill in about 3.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Great Basin College students graduate with?
A median $15,750 in federal loans among completers, or 40% of the $39,289 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Great Basin College students graduate?
41% finish their degree — 59% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $33,884 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $82,644 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Great Basin College expensive compared with other Nevada colleges?
Its $8,471 net price runs $13,420 below the $21,891 median across the 22 Nevada colleges we profile, and $53,678 less across the full degree.