Head-to-head comparison
Anne Arundel Community College vs Fortis Institute-Towson: which has better ROI?
Option A Arnold, MD
Anne Arundel Community College
- Net price / year
- $14,915
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,219
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Towson, MD
Fortis Institute-Towson
- Net price / year
- $31,549
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,368
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Anne Arundel Community College comes closer — median earnings $46,219 against a $29,830 total, vs $36,368 at Fortis Institute-Towson. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Anne Arundel Community College | Fortis Institute-Towson |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,915 | $31,549 |
| Total net cost | $29,830 | $126,196 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,219 | $36,368 |
| Median debt | $8,250 | $12,547 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$72,650 | -$366,036 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Anne Arundel Community College or Fortis Institute-Towson?
Anne Arundel Community College, at $14,915 a year after aid versus $31,549 — a gap of $16,634 a year, or $96,366 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 Anne Arundel Community College or Fortis Institute-Towson graduates earn more?
Anne Arundel Community College graduates report a median $46,219 ten years after entry, $9,851 more than the $36,368 at Fortis Institute-Towson. 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, Anne Arundel Community College or Fortis Institute-Towson?
Anne Arundel Community College: its completers carry a median $8,250 in federal loans versus $12,547 at Fortis Institute-Towson, a difference of $4,297. 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?
44% of students finish at Fortis Institute-Towson, against 31% at Anne Arundel 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.