Lewis and Clark Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lewis and Clark Community College charges a net price of $3,349/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $13,396. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,724, 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, Lewis and Clark Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #83 of 116 Illinois colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $3,349/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $13,396 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,724 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,636/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,751 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$226,116 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lewis and Clark Community College's own numbers. Net price $3,349 × 4 years = $13,396 total. Median earnings $37,724 fall $10,636 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 $13,396 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lewis and Clark Community College students graduate with?
A median $6,751 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $37,724 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lewis and Clark Community College students graduate?
44% finish their degree — 56% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $13,396 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $30,445 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lewis and Clark Community College expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $3,349 net price runs $10,401 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $41,604 less across the full degree.