South Piedmont Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
South Piedmont Community College charges a net price of $6,675/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $13,350. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,308, 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, South Piedmont Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #53 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) | $6,675/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $13,350 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,308 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,052/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$234,390 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on South Piedmont Community College's own numbers. Net price $6,675 × 2 years = $13,350 total. Median earnings $37,308 fall $11,052 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 $13,350 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of South Piedmont Community College students graduate?
38% finish their degree — 62% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $13,350 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $35,132 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is South Piedmont Community College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $6,675 net price runs $4,171 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $8,342 less across the full degree.