Southern State Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southern State Community College charges a net price of $9,674/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $19,348. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,463, 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 State Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #116 of 144 Ohio colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,674/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $19,348 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,463 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,897/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,457 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$277,288 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southern State Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,674 × 2 years = $19,348 total. Median earnings $35,463 fall $12,897 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 $19,348 bill in about 1.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southern State Community College students graduate with?
A median $11,457 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $35,463 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southern State Community College students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $19,348 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $52,292 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southern State Community College expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $9,674 net price runs $10,109 below the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, and $20,217 less across the full degree.