Head-to-head comparison
Alamance Community College vs Lees-McRae College: which has better ROI?
Option A Graham, NC
Alamance Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,109
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,241
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Banner Elk, NC
Lees-McRae College
- Net price / year
- $28,340
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,415
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lees-McRae College comes closer — median earnings $43,415 against a $113,360 total, vs $34,241 at Alamance Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Alamance Community College | Lees-McRae College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,109 | $28,340 |
| Total net cost | $24,436 | $113,360 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,241 | $43,415 |
| Median debt | — | $17,375 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$306,816 | -$212,260 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Alamance Community College or Lees-McRae College?
Alamance Community College, at $6,109 a year after aid versus $28,340 — a gap of $22,231 a year, or $88,924 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 Alamance Community College or Lees-McRae College graduates earn more?
Lees-McRae College graduates report a median $43,415 ten years after entry, $9,174 more than the $34,241 at Alamance 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.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
42% of students finish at Lees-McRae College, against 39% at Alamance 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.