James Sprunt Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
James Sprunt Community College charges a net price of $1,863/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $7,452. Median earnings ten years after entry are $29,307, 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, James Sprunt Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #108 of 115 North 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) | $1,863/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $7,452 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $29,307 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$19,053/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$388,512 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on James Sprunt Community College's own numbers. Net price $1,863 × 4 years = $7,452 total. Median earnings $29,307 fall $19,053 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 $7,452 bill in about 0.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of James Sprunt Community College students graduate?
48% finish their degree — 52% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $7,452 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $15,525 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is James Sprunt Community College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $1,863 net price runs $8,983 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $35,932 less across the full degree.