Normandale Community College vs Alexandria Technical & Community College: which has better ROI?
Normandale Community College has the better ROI: it clears its 2-year net cost of $25,944 in 14 years versus 26.5 years at Alexandria Technical & Community College, on median earnings of $50,207 vs $49,393 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Normandale Community College | Alexandria Technical & Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,972 | $13,691 |
| Total net cost | $25,944 | $27,382 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $50,207 | $49,393 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $12,000 |
| Payback | 14 yrs | 26.5 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $10,996 | -$6,722 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Normandale Community College or Alexandria Technical & Community College?
Normandale Community College, at $12,972 a year after aid versus $13,691 — a gap of $719 a year, or $1,438 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Normandale Community College or Alexandria Technical & Community College graduates earn more?
Normandale Community College graduates report a median $50,207 ten years after entry, $814 more than the $49,393 at Alexandria Technical & Community College. 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 leaves students with less debt, Normandale Community College or Alexandria Technical & Community College?
Completers at both borrow a median $12,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
Which graduates more of its students?
60% of students finish at Alexandria Technical & Community College, against 27% at Normandale 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.