At $2,449/yr net price, Fort Peck Community College graduates earn $14,747/yr within 10 years of enrollment.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $2,449 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $9,796 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $14,747/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | $-19,253/yr |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 15.9% |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $2,957/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $401/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $2,466/yr |
The Risk Factor
15.9% of students at Fort Peck 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
Fort Peck Community College is cheap to attend but the payoff is thin. Ten years after starting, the median earnings sit at $14,747 a year , below what full-time minimum-wage work returns in most states, and roughly what you'd expect from part-time or seasonal work. That number is the central problem here, and no amount of low tuition fully offsets it.
The net price is the real strength. At under $2,500 a year, you're not taking on the debt loads that sink graduates of pricier schools. If your family earns $30-48k, you pay just $401 , close to free. Families under $30k pay more than that middle tier, which is unusual, so run your own numbers through the school's aid office instead of assuming lower income means lower cost.
No bachelor-level program salary data is listed, so there's no honest way to say which majors here pay off. What the tribal college model does offer is a low-cost path to an associate degree or transfer credits you can carry to a four-year school elsewhere, where the earnings ceiling is higher.
The graduation rate is the risk you should weigh most. Fewer than 16 in 100 students finish, so the odds you leave without a credential are high. A cheap education you don't complete still costs you time and forgone wages.
This school fits you if you live near Poplar, want to keep costs near zero, and plan to transfer or use it as an affordable first step. If you need a program that leads directly to a solid regional salary, the earnings figure says look elsewhere , or treat Fort Peck as a launch point to a degree you finish somewhere with stronger job outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fort Peck Community College worth the cost?
Fort Peck Community College has an extremely low net price at $2,449 per year, but graduates earn only $14,747 ten years after enrollment. The low graduation rate of 16% means most students don't complete their programs.
What is the return on investment for Fort Peck Community College?
The ROI is poor, with graduates earning below poverty-level wages at $14,747 annually. Even with the low cost, the combination of minimal earnings and high dropout rates creates financial risk.
Do Fort Peck Community College graduates struggle with student debt?
While the low net price means students borrow less than at most schools, the extremely low post-graduation earnings make even small debt burdens difficult to repay.
Which programs at Fort Peck Community College have the best job prospects?
Specific program outcomes aren't widely available, but the overall graduate earnings of $14,747 suggest most programs lead to low-paying employment. Students should research individual program placement rates before enrolling.