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South Louisiana Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Public · Lafayette, LA · 5,035 students

The verdict

South Louisiana Community College charges a net price of $12,564/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $50,256. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,432, 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.)

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On institution-wide earnings, South Louisiana Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #38 of 52 Louisiana colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$12,564
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$31,432
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
South Louisiana Community College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$12,564/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (4 yrs)$50,256our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$31,432Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$16,928/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$11,000Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$388,816our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on South Louisiana Community College's own numbers. Net price $12,564 × 4 years = $50,256 total. Median earnings $31,432 fall $16,928 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 $50,256 bill in about 5.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do South Louisiana Community College students graduate with?

A median $11,000 in federal loans among completers, or 35% of the $31,432 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of South Louisiana Community College students graduate?

30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $50,256 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $167,520 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is South Louisiana Community College expensive compared with other Louisiana colleges?

Its $12,564 net price runs $1,331 below the $13,895 median across the 52 Louisiana colleges we profile, and $5,322 less across the full degree.

South Louisiana Community College: frequently asked questions

Is South Louisiana Community College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $31,432, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a South Louisiana Community College degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does South Louisiana Community College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $12,564/yr — about $50,256 over 4 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does South Louisiana Community College compare to other Louisiana colleges?
It ranks #38 of 52 Louisiana colleges we track by payback. Its $31,432 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $12,564 net price is below the national median of $16,902.