Head-to-head comparison
Bay de Noc Community College vs North Central Michigan College: which has better ROI?
Option A Escanaba, MI
Bay de Noc Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,949
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,090
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Petoskey, MI
North Central Michigan College
- Net price / year
- $10,083
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,594
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but North Central Michigan College comes closer — median earnings $36,594 against a $20,166 total, vs $35,090 at Bay de Noc Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bay de Noc Community College | North Central Michigan College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,949 | $10,083 |
| Total net cost | $23,898 | $20,166 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,090 | $36,594 |
| Median debt | $12,618 | $14,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$289,298 | -$255,486 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bay de Noc Community College or North Central Michigan College?
North Central Michigan College, at $10,083 a year after aid versus $11,949 — a gap of $1,866 a year, or $3,732 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 Bay de Noc Community College or North Central Michigan College graduates earn more?
North Central Michigan College graduates report a median $36,594 ten years after entry, $1,504 more than the $35,090 at Bay de Noc 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, Bay de Noc Community College or North Central Michigan College?
Bay de Noc Community College: its completers carry a median $12,618 in federal loans versus $14,000 at North Central Michigan College, a difference of $1,382. 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?
30% of students finish at Bay de Noc Community College, against 29% at North Central Michigan 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.