Lake Region State College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lake Region State College charges a net price of $13,577/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $27,154. Graduates earn a median $49,502 ten years after entry, $1,142/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 23.8 years — a 20-year net return of $-4,314, a weak return — the cost is hard to justify on earnings alone. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,577/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $27,154 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $49,502 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $1,142/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,293 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 23.8 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $-4,314 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 2 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.