Head-to-head comparison
Beaufort County Community College vs Rockingham Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Washington, NC
Beaufort County Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,500
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,519
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Wentworth, NC
Rockingham Community College
- Net price / year
- $2,060
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,480
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Rockingham Community College comes closer — median earnings $32,480 against a $4,120 total, vs $32,519 at Beaufort County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Beaufort County Community College | Rockingham Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,500 | $2,060 |
| Total net cost | $26,000 | $4,120 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,519 | $32,480 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$342,820 | -$321,720 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Beaufort County Community College or Rockingham Community College?
Rockingham Community College, at $2,060 a year after aid versus $6,500 — a gap of $4,440 a year, or $21,880 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 Beaufort County Community College or Rockingham Community College graduates earn more?
Beaufort County Community College graduates report a median $32,519 ten years after entry, $39 more than the $32,480 at Rockingham 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?
48% of students finish at Beaufort County Community College, against 35% at Rockingham 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.