Head-to-head comparison
Baltimore City Community College vs Garrett College: 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 McHenry, MD
Garrett College
- Net price / year
- $9,228
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,823
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Garrett College comes closer — median earnings $35,823 against a $18,456 total, vs $36,025 at Baltimore City Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Baltimore City Community College | Garrett College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,987 | $9,228 |
| Total net cost | $31,974 | $18,456 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,025 | $35,823 |
| Median debt | — | $10,750 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$278,674 | -$269,196 |
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 Garrett College?
Garrett College, at $9,228 a year after aid versus $15,987 — a gap of $6,759 a year, or $13,518 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 Garrett College graduates earn more?
Baltimore City Community College graduates report a median $36,025 ten years after entry, $202 more than the $35,823 at Garrett 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?
34% of students finish at Garrett College, 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.