At $7,858/yr net price, Bladen Community College graduates earn $30,591/yr within 10 years of enrollment.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $7,858 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $31,432 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $30,591/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | $-3,409/yr |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 31.0% |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,688/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,823/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,110/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Associate | $56,234 | |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants. | Certificate | $32,382 | |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | Associate | $22,766 | |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | Associate | $20,140 | |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Associate | $20,140 |
The Risk Factor
31.0% of students at Bladen Community College graduate within 6 years. Fewer than half of students complete their degree. If you don't graduate, the financial investment may not pay off.
Analysis
Bladen Community College gives you one strong bet and a lot of weak ones. The median graduate earns about $30,600 ten years out, which is thin for the cost of getting there. Against a net price under $8,000 a year, the math only works if you pick the right program, and here that means nursing.
The registered nursing associate degree is the outlier. It pays nearly $56,000, roughly double the school-wide median and almost triple what the general studies and business tracks return. If you can get into the RN program and finish, the payoff is real and the debt load stays small. Practical nursing at the certificate level clears $32,000, a solid return for a shorter credential.
Everything else is a warning. Teacher education, liberal arts, and business administration all land near or below $22,000 a year at the associate level. Those are earnings you could match without the tuition or the two years. If you enroll in one of these, you are paying for a credential that the local job market does not reward.
The bigger risk is finishing at all. Fewer than a third of students graduate. Pay for a year or two, leave without the degree, and you carry the cost with none of the earnings bump. That risk hits hardest in the low-return programs, where even completion barely moves your income.
The net price barely changes across income levels, so lower-income families pay close to what middle-income families pay. If your household earns under $48,000, you are looking at roughly $7,700 to $7,800 a year with little discount.
Come here for nursing and you can win. Come here for a general associate degree and expect to break even at best. If you want a business or liberal arts path with a payoff, look elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bladen Community College worth the money?
Bladen Community College offers decent value for nursing programs, with registered nursing graduates earning $56,234 annually. However, the 31% graduation rate is low, and most other programs lead to earnings around $20,000-$23,000, which may not justify even the $7,858 annual cost for many students.
What are the best paying programs at Bladen Community College?
Registered nursing is the clear winner at Bladen Community College, with graduates earning $56,234 per year. Practical nursing follows at $32,382, while other programs like business and liberal arts typically lead to much lower earnings around $20,000.
How much debt do Bladen Community College students typically have?
With a net price of $7,858 per year, Bladen Community College students face relatively low costs compared to four-year schools. However, the 31% graduation rate means many students may accumulate debt without completing their programs.
Do Bladen Community College graduates get good jobs?
Bladen Community College nursing graduates do well, but graduates in other fields typically earn just $20,000-$23,000 annually. The overall 10-year earnings average of $30,591 is pulled up by the nursing programs, while most other graduates face limited earning potential.