Southwestern Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southwestern Community College charges a net price of $5,207/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,414. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,145, 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, Southwestern Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #74 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) | $5,207/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,414 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,145 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$14,215/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$294,714 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southwestern Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,207 × 2 years = $10,414 total. Median earnings $34,145 fall $14,215 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 $10,414 bill in about 1.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southwestern Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 31% of the $34,145 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southwestern Community College students graduate?
53% finish their degree — 47% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,414 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $19,649 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southwestern Community College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $5,207 net price runs $5,639 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $11,278 less across the full degree.