Head-to-head comparison
Allegany College of Maryland vs Cecil College: which has better ROI?
Option A Cumberland, MD
Allegany College of Maryland
- Net price / year
- $8,819
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,476
- Payback
- No payback
Option B North East, MD
Cecil College
- Net price / year
- $9,658
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,952
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Cecil College comes closer — median earnings $43,952 against a $19,316 total, vs $38,476 at Allegany College of Maryland. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Allegany College of Maryland | Cecil College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,819 | $9,658 |
| Total net cost | $17,638 | $19,316 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,476 | $43,952 |
| Median debt | $13,702 | $9,536 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$215,318 | -$107,476 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Allegany College of Maryland or Cecil College?
Allegany College of Maryland, at $8,819 a year after aid versus $9,658 — a gap of $839 a year, or $1,678 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 Allegany College of Maryland or Cecil College graduates earn more?
Cecil College graduates report a median $43,952 ten years after entry, $5,476 more than the $38,476 at Allegany College of Maryland. 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, Allegany College of Maryland or Cecil College?
Cecil College: its completers carry a median $9,536 in federal loans versus $13,702 at Allegany College of Maryland, a difference of $4,166. 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 Allegany College of Maryland, against 37% at Cecil 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.