Lansing Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lansing Community College charges a net price of $5,437/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,874. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,206, 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, Lansing Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #46 of 85 Michigan colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,437/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,874 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,206 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,154/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,700 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$193,954 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lansing Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,437 × 2 years = $10,874 total. Median earnings $39,206 fall $9,154 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 $10,874 bill in about 1.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lansing Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,700 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $39,206 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lansing Community College students graduate?
25% finish their degree — 75% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,874 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $43,496 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lansing Community College expensive compared with other Michigan colleges?
Its $5,437 net price runs $8,864 below the $14,301 median across the 85 Michigan colleges we profile, and $17,728 less across the full degree.