Head-to-head comparison
Bay Mills Community College vs L'esprit Academy: which has better ROI?
Option A Brimley, MI
Bay Mills Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,073
- Earnings, 10 years
- $30,048
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Canton, MI
L'esprit Academy
- Net price / year
- $22,279
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,440
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bay Mills Community College comes closer — median earnings $30,048 against a $12,292 total, vs $22,440 at L'esprit Academy. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bay Mills Community College | L'esprit Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,073 | $22,279 |
| Total net cost | $12,292 | $89,116 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $30,048 | $22,440 |
| Median debt | — | $6,333 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$378,532 | -$607,516 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bay Mills Community College or L'esprit Academy?
Bay Mills Community College, at $3,073 a year after aid versus $22,279 — a gap of $19,206 a year, or $76,824 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 Mills Community College or L'esprit Academy graduates earn more?
Bay Mills Community College graduates report a median $30,048 ten years after entry, $7,608 more than the $22,440 at L'esprit Academy. 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?
88% of students finish at L'esprit Academy, against 30% at Bay Mills 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.