Luzerne County Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Luzerne County Community College charges a net price of $9,433/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $18,866. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,437, 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, Luzerne County Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #132 of 169 Pennsylvania colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,433/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $18,866 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,437 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,923/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$177,326 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Luzerne County Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,433 × 2 years = $18,866 total. Median earnings $40,437 fall $7,923 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 $18,866 bill in about 1.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Luzerne County Community College students graduate with?
A median $11,000 in federal loans among completers, or 27% of the $40,437 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Luzerne County Community College students graduate?
23% finish their degree — 77% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $18,866 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $82,026 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Luzerne County Community College expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $9,433 net price runs $12,308 below the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, and $24,616 less across the full degree.