Northeast Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Northeast Community College charges a net price of $8,544/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $17,088. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,634, 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, Northeast Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #19 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) | $8,544/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $17,088 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,634 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,726/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$131,608 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Northeast Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,544 × 2 years = $17,088 total. Median earnings $42,634 fall $5,726 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 $17,088 bill in about 1.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Northeast Community College students graduate with?
A median $11,000 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $42,634 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Northeast Community College students graduate?
56% finish their degree — 44% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $17,088 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $30,514 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Northeast Community College expensive compared with other Nebraska colleges?
Its $8,544 net price runs $9,006 below the $17,550 median across the 27 Nebraska colleges we profile, and $18,012 less across the full degree.