Lane College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lane College charges a net price of $10,904/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $43,616. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,670, 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, Lane College does not clear its cost — it ranks #76 of 91 Tennessee colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,904/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $43,616 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,670 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$16,690/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $30,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$377,416 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lane College's own numbers. Net price $10,904 × 4 years = $43,616 total. Median earnings $31,670 fall $16,690 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 $43,616 bill in about 4.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lane College students graduate with?
A median $30,500 in federal loans among completers, or 96% of the $31,670 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lane College students graduate?
18% finish their degree — 82% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $43,616 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $242,311 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lane College expensive compared with other Tennessee colleges?
Its $10,904 net price runs $4,365 below the $15,269 median across the 91 Tennessee colleges we profile, and $17,460 less across the full degree.