Saint Louis Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Saint Louis Community College charges a net price of $8,440/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $16,880. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,325, 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, Saint Louis Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #57 of 71 Missouri colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,440/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $16,880 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,325 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,035/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,725 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$277,580 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Saint Louis Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,440 × 2 years = $16,880 total. Median earnings $35,325 fall $13,035 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 $16,880 bill in about 1.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Saint Louis Community College students graduate with?
A median $6,725 in federal loans among completers, or 19% of the $35,325 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Saint Louis Community College students graduate?
21% finish their degree — 79% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $16,880 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $80,381 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Saint Louis Community College expensive compared with other Missouri colleges?
Its $8,440 net price runs $9,646 below the $18,086 median across the 71 Missouri colleges we profile, and $19,292 less across the full degree.