Brookline College-Albuquerque vs Mesalands Community College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Mesalands Community College comes closer — median earnings $32,272 against a $37,780 total, vs $29,576 at Brookline College-Albuquerque. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Brookline College-Albuquerque | Mesalands Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $37,459 | $9,445 |
| Total net cost | $149,836 | $37,780 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $29,576 | $32,272 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$525,516 | -$359,540 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Brookline College-Albuquerque or Mesalands Community College?
Mesalands Community College, at $9,445 a year after aid versus $37,459 — a gap of $28,014 a year, or $112,056 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Brookline College-Albuquerque or Mesalands Community College graduates earn more?
Mesalands Community College graduates report a median $32,272 ten years after entry, $2,696 more than the $29,576 at Brookline College-Albuquerque. 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?
47% of students finish at Brookline College-Albuquerque, against 42% at Mesalands Community College. 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.