Mid-Plains Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Mid-Plains Community College charges a net price of $5,235/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,470. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,059, 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, Mid-Plains Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #22 of 27 Nebraska colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,235/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,470 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,059 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,301/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,995 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$176,490 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Mid-Plains Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,235 × 2 years = $10,470 total. Median earnings $40,059 fall $8,301 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 $10,470 bill in about 1.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Mid-Plains Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,995 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $40,059 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Mid-Plains Community College students graduate?
54% finish their degree — 46% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,470 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $19,389 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Mid-Plains Community College expensive compared with other Nebraska colleges?
Its $5,235 net price runs $12,315 below the $17,550 median across the 27 Nebraska colleges we profile, and $24,630 less across the full degree.