Lane Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lane Community College charges a net price of $9,123/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $18,246. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,075, 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 Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #29 of 38 Oregon colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,123/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $18,246 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,075 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,285/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,761 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$223,946 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lane Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,123 × 2 years = $18,246 total. Median earnings $38,075 fall $10,285 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 $18,246 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lane Community College students graduate with?
A median $14,761 in federal loans among completers, or 39% of the $38,075 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lane Community College students graduate?
20% finish their degree — 80% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $18,246 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $91,230 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lane Community College expensive compared with other Oregon colleges?
Its $9,123 net price runs $7,817 below the $16,940 median across the 38 Oregon colleges we profile, and $15,634 less across the full degree.