St Cloud Technical and Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
St Cloud Technical and Community College charges a net price of $9,635/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $19,270. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,874, 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, St Cloud Technical and Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #38 of 68 Minnesota colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,635/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $19,270 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,874 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,486/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$48,990 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on St Cloud Technical and Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,635 × 2 years = $19,270 total. Median earnings $46,874 fall $1,486 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 $19,270 bill in about 1.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do St Cloud Technical and Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $46,874 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of St Cloud Technical and Community College students graduate?
45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $19,270 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $42,822 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is St Cloud Technical and Community College expensive compared with other Minnesota colleges?
Its $9,635 net price runs $7,186 below the $16,821 median across the 68 Minnesota colleges we profile, and $14,371 less across the full degree.