Reid State Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Reid State Technical College charges a net price of $1,739/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $6,956. Median earnings ten years after entry are $28,982, 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, Reid State Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #49 of 54 Alabama colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $1,739/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $6,956 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $28,982 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$19,378/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$394,516 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Reid State Technical College's own numbers. Net price $1,739 × 4 years = $6,956 total. Median earnings $28,982 fall $19,378 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 $6,956 bill in about 0.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Reid State Technical College students graduate?
59% finish their degree — 41% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $6,956 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $11,790 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Reid State Technical College expensive compared with other Alabama colleges?
Its $1,739 net price runs $12,830 below the $14,569 median across the 54 Alabama colleges we profile, and $51,318 less across the full degree.