Panola College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Panola College charges a net price of $5,216/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $20,864. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,072, 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, Panola College does not clear its cost — it ranks #137 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,216/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $20,864 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,072 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,288/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$266,624 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Panola College's own numbers. Net price $5,216 × 4 years = $20,864 total. Median earnings $36,072 fall $12,288 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 $20,864 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Panola College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $36,072 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Panola College students graduate?
43% finish their degree — 57% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,864 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $48,521 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Panola College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $5,216 net price runs $14,143 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $56,572 less across the full degree.