Polaris Career Center — ROI, Cost & Payback
Polaris Career Center charges a net price of $9,931/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $39,724. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,718, 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, Polaris Career Center does not clear its cost — it ranks #104 of 144 Ohio colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,931/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $39,724 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,718 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,642/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,365 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$232,564 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Polaris Career Center's own numbers. Net price $9,931 × 4 years = $39,724 total. Median earnings $38,718 fall $9,642 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 $39,724 bill in about 4.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Polaris Career Center students graduate with?
A median $6,365 in federal loans among completers, or 16% of the $38,718 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Polaris Career Center students graduate?
77% finish their degree. Spread the $39,724 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $51,590 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Polaris Career Center expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $9,931 net price runs $9,852 below the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, and $39,406 less across the full degree.