Salt Lake Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Salt Lake Community College charges a net price of $9,804/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $19,608. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,867, 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, Salt Lake Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #12 of 24 Utah colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,804/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $19,608 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,867 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$493/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,003 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$29,468 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Salt Lake Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,804 × 2 years = $19,608 total. Median earnings $47,867 fall $493 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 $19,608 bill in about 2.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Salt Lake Community College students graduate with?
A median $8,003 in federal loans among completers, or 17% of the $47,867 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Salt Lake Community College students graduate?
29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $19,608 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $67,614 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Salt Lake Community College expensive compared with other Utah colleges?
Its $9,804 net price runs $5,998 below the $15,802 median across the 24 Utah colleges we profile, and $11,995 less across the full degree.