Independence Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Independence Community College charges a net price of $3,265/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $6,530. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,941, 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, Independence Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #51 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) | $3,265/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $6,530 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,941 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,419/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,115 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$274,910 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Independence Community College's own numbers. Net price $3,265 × 2 years = $6,530 total. Median earnings $34,941 fall $13,419 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 $6,530 bill in about 0.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Independence Community College students graduate with?
A median $6,115 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $34,941 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Independence Community College students graduate?
26% finish their degree — 74% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $6,530 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $25,115 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Independence Community College expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $3,265 net price runs $12,015 below the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, and $24,030 less across the full degree.