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North Country Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Public · Saranac Lake, NY · 819 students

The verdict

North Country Community College charges a net price of $11,868/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $23,736. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,276, 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.)

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On institution-wide earnings, North Country Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #162 of 203 New York colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$11,868
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$38,276
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
North Country Community College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$11,868/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (2 yrs)$23,736our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$38,276Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$10,084/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$12,000Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$225,416our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on North Country Community College's own numbers. Net price $11,868 × 2 years = $23,736 total. Median earnings $38,276 fall $10,084 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 $23,736 bill in about 2.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do North Country Community College students graduate with?

A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 31% of the $38,276 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of North Country Community College students graduate?

29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $23,736 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $81,848 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is North Country Community College expensive compared with other New York colleges?

Its $11,868 net price runs $7,045 below the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, and $14,090 less across the full degree.

North Country Community College: frequently asked questions

Is North Country Community College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $38,276, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a North Country Community College degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does North Country Community College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $11,868/yr — about $23,736 over 2 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does North Country Community College compare to other New York colleges?
It ranks #162 of 203 New York colleges we track by payback. Its $38,276 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $11,868 net price is below the national median of $16,902.