Meridian Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Meridian Community College charges a net price of $6,351/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $12,702. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,002, 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, Meridian Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #26 of 32 Mississippi colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $6,351/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $12,702 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,002 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$17,358/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $5,521 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$359,862 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Meridian Community College's own numbers. Net price $6,351 × 2 years = $12,702 total. Median earnings $31,002 fall $17,358 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 $12,702 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Meridian Community College students graduate with?
A median $5,521 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $31,002 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Meridian Community College students graduate?
34% finish their degree — 66% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $12,702 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $37,359 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Meridian Community College expensive compared with other Mississippi colleges?
Its $6,351 net price runs $2,664 below the $9,015 median across the 32 Mississippi colleges we profile, and $5,327 less across the full degree.