Head-to-head comparison
Bristol Community College vs Springfield College: which has better ROI?
Option A Fall River, MA
Bristol Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,547
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,663
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Springfield, MA
Springfield College
- Net price / year
- $30,587
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,036
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Springfield College comes closer — median earnings $48,036 against a $122,348 total, vs $38,663 at Bristol Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bristol Community College | Springfield College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,547 | $30,587 |
| Total net cost | $11,094 | $122,348 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,663 | $48,036 |
| Median debt | $8,243 | $26,250 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$205,034 | -$128,828 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bristol Community College or Springfield College?
Bristol Community College, at $5,547 a year after aid versus $30,587 — a gap of $25,040 a year, or $111,254 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 Bristol Community College or Springfield College graduates earn more?
Springfield College graduates report a median $48,036 ten years after entry, $9,373 more than the $38,663 at Bristol 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, Bristol Community College or Springfield College?
Bristol Community College: its completers carry a median $8,243 in federal loans versus $26,250 at Springfield College, a difference of $18,007. 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?
74% of students finish at Springfield College, against 22% at Bristol 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.