Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF

Tri-County Community College

Murphy, NC · 3 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$314,886 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

Modeled economic break-even
−149%Modeled 10-year ROI
$34,631Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$314,886at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$211,1960
2
4
6
8
−$314,88610
Years after graduationBreak-even: years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$2,636
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$8,780
Sticker price
Average net price$7,799
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$18,830
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$7,799Average net price / year
$18,830Cost of attendance
$34,631Median earnings · year 5 after completion
54.3%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
472Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

28thEarnings percentile
44thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$34,483Year 1
$41,132Year 4
$34,631Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Associate's Degree$83,8802Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities · Associate's Degree$41,4963Business Administration, Management and Operations · Associate's Degree$33,155

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in NC

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Clyde, NC

Haywood Community College

Annual net price
$6,723
Observed earnings · year 5
$36,246
Modeled 10-year ROI
-142%
Open college profile →
Graham, NC

Alamance Community College

Annual net price
$6,109
Observed earnings · year 5
$36,185
Modeled 10-year ROI
-143%
Open college profile →
Ahoskie, NC

Roanoke-Chowan Community College

Annual net price
$5,570
Observed earnings · year 5
$36,050
Modeled 10-year ROI
-144%
Open college profile →
Flat Rock, NC

Blue Ridge Community College

Annual net price
$5,756
Observed earnings · year 5
$36,906
Modeled 10-year ROI
-140%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's Degree$83,880Not available
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree$41,496Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's Degree$33,155Not available

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.