Lees-McRae College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lees-McRae College charges a net price of $28,340/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $113,360. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,415, 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, Lees-McRae College does not clear its cost — it ranks #48 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $28,340/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $113,360 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,415 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,945/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $17,375 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$212,260 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lees-McRae College's own numbers. Net price $28,340 × 4 years = $113,360 total. Median earnings $43,415 fall $4,945 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 $113,360 bill in about 11.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lees-McRae College students graduate with?
A median $17,375 in federal loans among completers, or 40% of the $43,415 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lees-McRae College students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $113,360 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $269,905 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lees-McRae College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $28,340 net price runs $17,494 above the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, or $69,976 more across the full degree.