Head-to-head comparison
Baker College vs Kirtland Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Owosso, MI
Baker College
- Net price / year
- $13,157
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,833
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Grayling, MI
Kirtland Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,456
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,831
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Kirtland Community College comes closer — median earnings $35,831 against a $14,912 total, vs $35,833 at Baker College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Baker College | Kirtland Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,157 | $7,456 |
| Total net cost | $52,628 | $14,912 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,833 | $35,831 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $13,067 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$303,168 | -$265,492 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Baker College or Kirtland Community College?
Kirtland Community College, at $7,456 a year after aid versus $13,157 — a gap of $5,701 a year, or $37,716 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 Baker College or Kirtland Community College graduates earn more?
Baker College graduates report a median $35,833 ten years after entry, $2 more than the $35,831 at Kirtland 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 leaves students with less debt, Baker College or Kirtland Community College?
Kirtland Community College: its completers carry a median $13,067 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Baker College, a difference of $11,933. 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?
36% of students finish at Baker College, against 34% at Kirtland 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.