Tidewater Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tidewater Community College charges a net price of $11,762/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $23,524. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,349, 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, Tidewater Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #57 of 81 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) | $11,762/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $23,524 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,349 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,011/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$223,744 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tidewater Community College's own numbers. Net price $11,762 × 2 years = $23,524 total. Median earnings $38,349 fall $10,011 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 $23,524 bill in about 2.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Tidewater Community College students graduate with?
A median $10,000 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $38,349 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Tidewater Community College students graduate?
32% finish their degree — 68% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $23,524 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $73,513 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tidewater Community College expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $11,762 net price runs $7,304 below the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, and $14,608 less across the full degree.