Kennebec Valley Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Kennebec Valley Community College charges a net price of $3,910/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $7,820. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,035, 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, Kennebec Valley Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #21 of 27 Maine colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $3,910/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $7,820 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,035 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,325/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,255 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$254,320 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Kennebec Valley Community College's own numbers. Net price $3,910 × 2 years = $7,820 total. Median earnings $36,035 fall $12,325 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 $7,820 bill in about 0.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Kennebec Valley Community College students graduate with?
A median $13,255 in federal loans among completers, or 37% of the $36,035 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Kennebec Valley Community College students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $7,820 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $20,051 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Kennebec Valley Community College expensive compared with other Maine colleges?
Its $3,910 net price runs $13,270 below the $17,180 median across the 27 Maine colleges we profile, and $26,540 less across the full degree.