Rowan-Cabarrus Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College charges a net price of $7,981/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $31,924. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,936, 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, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #79 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $7,981/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $31,924 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,936 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,424/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,458 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$300,404 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Rowan-Cabarrus Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,981 × 4 years = $31,924 total. Median earnings $34,936 fall $13,424 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 $31,924 bill in about 3.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Rowan-Cabarrus Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,458 in federal loans among completers, or 27% of the $34,936 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $31,924 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $91,211 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Rowan-Cabarrus Community College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $7,981 net price runs $2,865 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $11,460 less across the full degree.