Head-to-head comparison
Beaufort County Community College vs Salem 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 Winston-Salem, NC
Salem College
- Net price / year
- $18,277
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,640
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Salem College comes closer — median earnings $44,640 against a $73,108 total, vs $32,519 at Beaufort County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Beaufort County Community College | Salem College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,500 | $18,277 |
| Total net cost | $26,000 | $73,108 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,519 | $44,640 |
| Median debt | — | $26,649 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$342,820 | -$147,508 |
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 Salem College?
Beaufort County Community College, at $6,500 a year after aid versus $18,277 — a gap of $11,777 a year, or $47,108 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 Salem College graduates earn more?
Salem College graduates report a median $44,640 ten years after entry, $12,121 more than the $32,519 at Beaufort 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?
57% of students finish at Salem College, against 48% at Beaufort County 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.