Portland Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Portland Community College charges a net price of $10,405/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $20,810. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,592, 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, Portland Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #19 of 38 Oregon colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,405/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $20,810 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,592 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,768/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,999 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$96,170 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Portland Community College's own numbers. Net price $10,405 × 2 years = $20,810 total. Median earnings $44,592 fall $3,768 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 $20,810 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Portland Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,999 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $44,592 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Portland Community College students graduate?
18% finish their degree — 82% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,810 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $115,611 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Portland Community College expensive compared with other Oregon colleges?
Its $10,405 net price runs $6,535 below the $16,940 median across the 38 Oregon colleges we profile, and $13,070 less across the full degree.