Wayne State College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Wayne State College charges a net price of $15,360/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $61,440. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,075, 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, Wayne State College does not clear its cost — it ranks #18 of 27 Nebraska colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $15,360/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $61,440 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,075 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,285/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $19,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$87,140 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Wayne State College's own numbers. Net price $15,360 × 4 years = $61,440 total. Median earnings $47,075 fall $1,285 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 $61,440 bill in about 6.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Wayne State College students graduate with?
A median $19,000 in federal loans among completers, or 40% of the $47,075 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Wayne State College students graduate?
52% finish their degree — 48% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $61,440 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $118,154 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Wayne State College expensive compared with other Nebraska colleges?
Its $15,360 net price runs $2,190 below the $17,550 median across the 27 Nebraska colleges we profile, and $8,760 less across the full degree.