J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College charges a net price of $6,005/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $24,020. Median earnings ten years after entry are $28,281, 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, J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #51 of 54 Alabama colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,005/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $24,020 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $28,281 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$20,079/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$425,600 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College's own numbers. Net price $6,005 × 4 years = $24,020 total. Median earnings $28,281 fall $20,079 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 $24,020 bill in about 2.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College students graduate?
14% finish their degree — 86% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $24,020 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $171,571 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College expensive compared with other Alabama colleges?
Its $6,005 net price runs $8,564 below the $14,569 median across the 54 Alabama colleges we profile, and $34,254 less across the full degree.