Turtle Mountain College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Turtle Mountain College charges a net price of $3,428/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $13,712. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,079, 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, Turtle Mountain College does not clear its cost — it ranks #14 of 17 North Dakota colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $3,428/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $13,712 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,079 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$16,281/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$339,332 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Turtle Mountain College's own numbers. Net price $3,428 × 4 years = $13,712 total. Median earnings $32,079 fall $16,281 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 $13,712 bill in about 1.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Turtle Mountain College students graduate?
43% finish their degree — 57% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $13,712 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $31,888 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Turtle Mountain College expensive compared with other North Dakota colleges?
Its $3,428 net price runs $8,028 below the $11,456 median across the 17 North Dakota colleges we profile, and $32,112 less across the full degree.