Pine Technical & Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Pine Technical & Community College charges a net price of $12,798/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $51,192. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,232, 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, Pine Technical & Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #58 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) | $12,798/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $51,192 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,232 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,128/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,392 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$193,752 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Pine Technical & Community College's own numbers. Net price $12,798 × 4 years = $51,192 total. Median earnings $41,232 fall $7,128 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 $51,192 bill in about 5.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Pine Technical & Community College students graduate with?
A median $14,392 in federal loans among completers, or 35% of the $41,232 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Pine Technical & Community College students graduate?
36% finish their degree — 64% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $51,192 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $142,200 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Pine Technical & Community College expensive compared with other Minnesota colleges?
Its $12,798 net price runs $4,023 below the $16,821 median across the 68 Minnesota colleges we profile, and $16,090 less across the full degree.