Minnesota State College Southeast — ROI, Cost & Payback
Minnesota State College Southeast charges a net price of $16,140/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $64,560. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,613, 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, Minnesota State College Southeast does not clear its cost — it ranks #56 of 68 Minnesota colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,140/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $64,560 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,613 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,747/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,971 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$159,500 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Minnesota State College Southeast's own numbers. Net price $16,140 × 4 years = $64,560 total. Median earnings $43,613 fall $4,747 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 $64,560 bill in about 6.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Minnesota State College Southeast students graduate with?
A median $12,971 in federal loans among completers, or 30% of the $43,613 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Minnesota State College Southeast students graduate?
47% finish their degree — 53% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $64,560 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $137,362 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Minnesota State College Southeast expensive compared with other Minnesota colleges?
Its $16,140 net price runs $681 below the $16,821 median across the 68 Minnesota colleges we profile, and $2,722 less across the full degree.