Head-to-head comparison
Baltimore City Community College vs Coppin State University: which has better ROI?
Option A Baltimore, MD
Baltimore City Community College
- Net price / year
- $15,987
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,025
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Baltimore, MD
Coppin State University
- Net price / year
- $9,977
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,490
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Coppin State University comes closer — median earnings $46,490 against a $39,908 total, vs $36,025 at Baltimore City Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Baltimore City Community College | Coppin State University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,987 | $9,977 |
| Total net cost | $31,974 | $39,908 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,025 | $46,490 |
| Median debt | — | $25,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$278,674 | -$77,308 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Baltimore City Community College or Coppin State University?
Coppin State University, at $9,977 a year after aid versus $15,987 — a gap of $6,010 a year, or $7,934 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 Baltimore City Community College or Coppin State University graduates earn more?
Coppin State University graduates report a median $46,490 ten years after entry, $10,465 more than the $36,025 at Baltimore City 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?
26% of students finish at Coppin State University, against 17% at Baltimore City 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.