At $27,674/yr net price, Fortis College-Columbus graduates earn $36,368/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $2,368/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $27,674 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $110,696 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $36,368/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$2,368/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 46.7 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 32.3% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $12,547 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $26,658/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $28,105/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $29,226/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $33,723/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 | $53,671 | $29,028 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | Associate | $42,309 | $26,982 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants. | Certificate | $40,209 | $19,000 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR). | Certificate | $30,047 | $13,000 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services. | Certificate | $25,079 | $9,500 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services. | Certificate | $24,667 | $11,701 |
The Risk Factor
32.3% of students at Fortis College-Columbus 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
Fortis College-Columbus has a weak overall financial return, and the school-wide numbers hide a wide gap between programs. The typical graduate earns about $36,000 ten years out, less than what many jobs pay without any degree, and only about a third of students finish. You pay close to $28,000 a year to attend, so the value of your time here depends entirely on which program you pick.
Nursing is the one clear win. The associate degree in registered nursing pays around $53,700, roughly $17,000 more per year than the school's median. That's the program worth paying for. But it also carries the heaviest debt load at about $29,000, so you're borrowing more than double the school-wide median debt to get there. The allied health diagnostic associate and the practical nursing certificate land in the low $40,000s and cost less to borrow, which makes the practical nursing certificate the better debt-to-earnings trade at Fortis.
The bottom of the list is where you lose money. The medical assisting certificate pays about $25,000, and the HVAC certificate about $30,000. At Fortis's price, those programs cost more than they return. If one of these is your plan, look elsewhere.
The specific risk here is paying nursing-level tuition for a low-paying certificate. The sticker price barely moves by income until you cross $75,000, where it climbs to about $34,000. If your family earns under $30,000, you still face roughly $27,000 a year in net price, and two-thirds of students receive Pell Grants, which tells you most of the student body arrives with limited resources facing that same bill.
Fortis makes financial sense if you're going into registered nursing and will finish. For any other program here, the math does not work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fortis College-Columbus worth the money?
Fortis College-Columbus has mixed value depending on your program choice. Nursing programs show strong returns with graduates earning around $53,000, but other programs may not justify the $27,674 annual cost given the school's 32% graduation rate.
What are the highest paying programs at Fortis College-Columbus?
Registered Nursing graduates from Fortis College-Columbus earn the highest salaries at $53,671 annually. Allied Health Diagnostic programs follow at $42,309, while Medical Assisting graduates earn significantly less at $25,079.
How much debt do Fortis College-Columbus graduates have?
Fortis College-Columbus graduates have a median debt of $12,547, which is relatively manageable compared to the annual tuition cost. However, with only 32% of students graduating, many leave with debt but no degree.
Do Fortis College-Columbus graduates get good jobs after graduation?
Fortis College-Columbus graduates earn an average of $36,368 ten years after enrollment, which is below the national average for college graduates. The low 32% graduation rate means most students don't complete their programs to reach even these modest earnings.