Head-to-head comparison
Broward College vs Nova Southeastern University: which has better ROI?
Option A Fort Lauderdale, FL
Broward College
- Net price / year
- $14,506
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,939
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Fort Lauderdale, FL
Nova Southeastern University
- Net price / year
- $30,371
- Earnings, 10 years
- $59,209
- Payback
- 11.2 yrs
Nova Southeastern University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $121,484 in 11.2 years versus not at all at Broward College, on median earnings of $59,209 vs $41,939 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Broward College | Nova Southeastern University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,506 | $30,371 |
| Total net cost | $29,012 | $121,484 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,939 | $59,209 |
| Median debt | $7,500 | $24,250 |
| Payback | — | 11.2 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$157,432 | $95,496 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Broward College or Nova Southeastern University?
Broward College, at $14,506 a year after aid versus $30,371 — a gap of $15,865 a year, or $92,472 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 Broward College or Nova Southeastern University graduates earn more?
Nova Southeastern University graduates report a median $59,209 ten years after entry, $17,270 more than the $41,939 at Broward 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, Broward College or Nova Southeastern University?
Broward College: its completers carry a median $7,500 in federal loans versus $24,250 at Nova Southeastern University, a difference of $16,750. 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?
63% of students finish at Nova Southeastern University, against 39% at Broward 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.