Stark State College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Stark State College charges a net price of $5,986/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $23,944. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,661, 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, Stark State College does not clear its cost — it ranks #118 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) | $5,986/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $23,944 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,661 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,699/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,786 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$297,924 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Stark State College's own numbers. Net price $5,986 × 4 years = $23,944 total. Median earnings $34,661 fall $13,699 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 $23,944 bill in about 2.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Stark State College students graduate with?
A median $13,786 in federal loans among completers, or 40% of the $34,661 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Stark State College students graduate?
23% finish their degree — 77% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $23,944 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $104,104 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Stark State College expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $5,986 net price runs $13,797 below the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, and $55,186 less across the full degree.