Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield charges a net price of $31,575/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $126,300. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,396, 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, Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield does not clear its cost — it ranks #53 of 78 New Jersey colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $31,575/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $126,300 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,396 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,964/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,730 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$165,580 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield's own numbers. Net price $31,575 × 4 years = $126,300 total. Median earnings $46,396 fall $1,964 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 $126,300 bill in about 12.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield students graduate with?
A median $11,730 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $46,396 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield students graduate?
77% finish their degree. Spread the $126,300 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $164,026 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield expensive compared with other New Jersey colleges?
Its $31,575 net price runs $11,158 above the $20,418 median across the 78 New Jersey colleges we profile, or $44,630 more across the full degree.