Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College charges a net price of $10,321/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $20,642. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,153, 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 West Virginia Community and Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #23 of 30 West Virginia colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,321/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $20,642 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,153 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$16,207/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,190 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$344,782 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College's own numbers. Net price $10,321 × 2 years = $20,642 total. Median earnings $32,153 fall $16,207 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 $20,642 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College students graduate with?
A median $9,190 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $32,153 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College students graduate?
29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,642 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $71,179 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College expensive compared with other West Virginia colleges?
Its $10,321 net price runs $409 below the $10,730 median across the 30 West Virginia colleges we profile, and $818 less across the full degree.