Lake Superior College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lake Superior College charges a net price of $15,492/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $30,984. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,449, 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, Lake Superior College does not clear its cost — it ranks #39 of 68 Minnesota colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $15,492/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $30,984 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,449 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,911/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,775 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$69,204 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lake Superior College's own numbers. Net price $15,492 × 2 years = $30,984 total. Median earnings $46,449 fall $1,911 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 $30,984 bill in about 3.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lake Superior College students graduate with?
A median $12,775 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $46,449 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lake Superior College students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $30,984 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $73,771 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lake Superior College expensive compared with other Minnesota colleges?
Its $15,492 net price runs $1,329 below the $16,821 median across the 68 Minnesota colleges we profile, and $2,657 less across the full degree.