Lone Star College System — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lone Star College System charges a net price of $11,252/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $22,504. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,466, 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, Lone Star College System does not clear its cost — it ranks #92 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $11,252/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $22,504 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,466 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,894/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,600 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$140,384 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lone Star College System's own numbers. Net price $11,252 × 2 years = $22,504 total. Median earnings $42,466 fall $5,894 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 $22,504 bill in about 2.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lone Star College System students graduate with?
A median $8,600 in federal loans among completers, or 20% of the $42,466 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lone Star College System students graduate?
21% finish their degree — 79% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $22,504 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $107,162 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lone Star College System expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $11,252 net price runs $8,107 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $16,214 less across the full degree.