Oakland Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Oakland Community College charges a net price of $5,777/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $11,554. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,395, 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, Oakland Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #53 of 85 Michigan colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,777/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $11,554 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,395 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,965/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,105 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$230,854 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Oakland Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,777 × 2 years = $11,554 total. Median earnings $37,395 fall $10,965 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 $11,554 bill in about 1.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Oakland Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,105 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $37,395 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Oakland Community College students graduate?
21% finish their degree — 79% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $11,554 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $55,019 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Oakland Community College expensive compared with other Michigan colleges?
Its $5,777 net price runs $8,524 below the $14,301 median across the 85 Michigan colleges we profile, and $17,048 less across the full degree.