Trinidad State College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Trinidad State College charges a net price of $10,772/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $43,088. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,475, 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, Trinidad State College does not clear its cost — it ranks #38 of 50 Colorado colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,772/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $43,088 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,475 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,885/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,908 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$280,788 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Trinidad State College's own numbers. Net price $10,772 × 4 years = $43,088 total. Median earnings $36,475 fall $11,885 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 $43,088 bill in about 4.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Trinidad State College students graduate with?
A median $8,908 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $36,475 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Trinidad State College students graduate?
55% finish their degree — 45% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $43,088 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $78,342 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Trinidad State College expensive compared with other Colorado colleges?
Its $10,772 net price runs $5,696 below the $16,468 median across the 50 Colorado colleges we profile, and $22,782 less across the full degree.