Is Neosho County Community College Worth It?

Neosho County Community College gives you a low-cost path with a modest median payoff. At about $10,000 a year in net price and $8,500 in median debt, you graduate owing less than one year's tuition at many four-year schools, and the median grad earns near $46,000 a decade out. That math works if you finish, but the 38.9% graduation rate means most students don't.

The program you pick decides everything here. Nursing is the clear winner: an associate degree in registered nursing pays about $54,760, and the roughly $9,700 in debt attached to it is easy to justify against that salary. Allied Health and Medical Assisting sits lower at $36,848, still a working wage for a two-year credential. The Liberal Arts and General Studies track pays $18,771, which barely clears part-time earnings and only makes sense if you transfer to a four-year school afterward. Treating that associate degree as a finish line is a financial mistake.

The main risk is the completion gap. Borrowing $8,500 and leaving without a credential leaves you with debt and no earnings bump. If you enroll, enroll in nursing or another vocational program with a direct job, and commit to finishing.

Net price barely moves by income at the bottom: you pay about $8,800 whether your family earns under $30k or up to $48k. Above $75k, the price jumps to roughly $13,000. For lower-income families, the aid still leaves a real bill, so budget for it.

This school fits you if you want nursing or a health credential and plan to graduate. Look elsewhere if you want a general associate degree without a transfer plan.