Head-to-head comparison
Baton Rouge Community College vs Southern University at Shreveport: which has better ROI?
Option A Baton Rouge, LA
Baton Rouge Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,474
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,581
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Shreveport, LA
Southern University at Shreveport
- Net price / year
- $11,049
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,099
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Baton Rouge Community College comes closer — median earnings $34,581 against a $37,896 total, vs $33,099 at Southern University at Shreveport. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Baton Rouge Community College | Southern University at Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,474 | $11,049 |
| Total net cost | $37,896 | $22,098 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,581 | $33,099 |
| Median debt | $12,450 | $18,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$313,476 | -$327,318 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Baton Rouge Community College or Southern University at Shreveport?
Baton Rouge Community College, at $9,474 a year after aid versus $11,049 — a gap of $1,575 a year, or $15,798 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 Baton Rouge Community College or Southern University at Shreveport graduates earn more?
Baton Rouge Community College graduates report a median $34,581 ten years after entry, $1,482 more than the $33,099 at Southern University at Shreveport. 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, Baton Rouge Community College or Southern University at Shreveport?
Baton Rouge Community College: its completers carry a median $12,450 in federal loans versus $18,500 at Southern University at Shreveport, a difference of $6,050. 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?
31% of students finish at Baton Rouge Community College, against 10% at Southern University at Shreveport. 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.