State Fair Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
State Fair Community College charges a net price of $7,985/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $15,970. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,562, 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, State Fair Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #56 of 71 Missouri colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $7,985/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $15,970 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,562 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,798/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$271,930 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on State Fair Community College's own numbers. Net price $7,985 × 2 years = $15,970 total. Median earnings $35,562 fall $12,798 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 $15,970 bill in about 1.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do State Fair Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 30% of the $35,562 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of State Fair Community College students graduate?
44% finish their degree — 56% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $15,970 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $36,295 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is State Fair Community College expensive compared with other Missouri colleges?
Its $7,985 net price runs $10,101 below the $18,086 median across the 71 Missouri colleges we profile, and $20,202 less across the full degree.