Alamance Community College vs College of the Albemarle: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Alamance Community College comes closer — median earnings $34,241 against a $24,436 total, vs $33,234 at College of the Albemarle. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Alamance Community College | College of the Albemarle |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,109 | $2,253 |
| Total net cost | $24,436 | $4,506 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,241 | $33,234 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$306,816 | -$307,026 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Alamance Community College or College of the Albemarle?
College of the Albemarle, at $2,253 a year after aid versus $6,109 — a gap of $3,856 a year, or $19,930 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Alamance Community College or College of the Albemarle graduates earn more?
Alamance Community College graduates report a median $34,241 ten years after entry, $1,007 more than the $33,234 at College of the Albemarle. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
Which graduates more of its students?
39% of students finish at Alamance Community College, against 35% at College of the Albemarle. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.