Somerset Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Somerset Community College charges a net price of $4,398/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $17,592. Median earnings ten years after entry are $30,787, 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, Somerset Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #45 of 51 Kentucky colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $4,398/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $17,592 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $30,787 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$17,573/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,215 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$369,052 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Somerset Community College's own numbers. Net price $4,398 × 4 years = $17,592 total. Median earnings $30,787 fall $17,573 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 $17,592 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Somerset Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,215 in federal loans among completers, or 40% of the $30,787 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Somerset Community College students graduate?
43% finish their degree — 57% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $17,592 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $40,912 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Somerset Community College expensive compared with other Kentucky colleges?
Its $4,398 net price runs $9,709 below the $14,107 median across the 51 Kentucky colleges we profile, and $38,836 less across the full degree.