Head-to-head comparison
Barton College vs Tri-County Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Wilson, NC
Barton College
- Net price / year
- $23,626
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,913
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Murphy, NC
Tri-County Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,799
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,232
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Barton College comes closer — median earnings $47,913 against a $94,504 total, vs $32,232 at Tri-County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Barton College | Tri-County Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $23,626 | $7,799 |
| Total net cost | $94,504 | $15,598 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,913 | $32,232 |
| Median debt | $25,877 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$103,444 | -$338,158 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Barton College or Tri-County Community College?
Tri-County Community College, at $7,799 a year after aid versus $23,626 — a gap of $15,827 a year, or $78,906 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 Barton College or Tri-County Community College graduates earn more?
Barton College graduates report a median $47,913 ten years after entry, $15,681 more than the $32,232 at Tri-County 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?
54% of students finish at Tri-County Community College, against 46% at Barton 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.