Lawson State Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lawson State Community College charges a net price of $6,275/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $12,550. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,701, 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, Lawson State Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #40 of 54 Alabama colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,275/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $12,550 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,701 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$16,659/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$345,730 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lawson State Community College's own numbers. Net price $6,275 × 2 years = $12,550 total. Median earnings $31,701 fall $16,659 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 $12,550 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Lawson State Community College students graduate?
27% finish their degree — 73% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $12,550 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $46,481 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lawson State Community College expensive compared with other Alabama colleges?
Its $6,275 net price runs $8,294 below the $14,569 median across the 54 Alabama colleges we profile, and $16,587 less across the full degree.