Southern Maine Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southern Maine Community College charges a net price of $11,086/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $22,172. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,661, 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, Southern Maine Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #18 of 27 Maine colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $11,086/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $22,172 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,661 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,699/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,331 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$156,152 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southern Maine Community College's own numbers. Net price $11,086 × 2 years = $22,172 total. Median earnings $41,661 fall $6,699 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 $22,172 bill in about 2.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southern Maine Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,331 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $41,661 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southern Maine Community College students graduate?
28% finish their degree — 72% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $22,172 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $79,186 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southern Maine Community College expensive compared with other Maine colleges?
Its $11,086 net price runs $6,094 below the $17,180 median across the 27 Maine colleges we profile, and $12,188 less across the full degree.