Head-to-head comparison
Aims Community College vs Otero College: which has better ROI?
Option A Greeley, CO
Aims Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,463
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,887
- Payback
- No payback
Option B La Junta, CO
Otero College
- Net price / year
- $11,103
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,018
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Aims Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,887 against a $45,852 total, vs $39,018 at Otero College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Aims Community College | Otero College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,463 | $11,103 |
| Total net cost | $45,852 | $44,412 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,887 | $39,018 |
| Median debt | $6,844 | $10,250 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$175,312 | -$231,252 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Aims Community College or Otero College?
Otero College, at $11,103 a year after aid versus $11,463 — a gap of $360 a year, or $1,440 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Aims Community College or Otero College graduates earn more?
Aims Community College graduates report a median $41,887 ten years after entry, $2,869 more than the $39,018 at Otero 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.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Aims Community College or Otero College?
Aims Community College: its completers carry a median $6,844 in federal loans versus $10,250 at Otero College, a difference of $3,406. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
40% of students finish at Aims Community College, against 38% at Otero 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.