Head-to-head comparison
Bucks County Community College vs Luzerne County Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Newtown, PA
Bucks County Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,389
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,324
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Nanticoke, PA
Luzerne County Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,433
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,437
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bucks County Community College comes closer — median earnings $47,324 against a $12,778 total, vs $40,437 at Luzerne County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bucks County Community College | Luzerne County Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,389 | $9,433 |
| Total net cost | $12,778 | $18,866 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,324 | $40,437 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $11,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$33,498 | -$177,326 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bucks County Community College or Luzerne County Community College?
Bucks County Community College, at $6,389 a year after aid versus $9,433 — a gap of $3,044 a year, or $6,088 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 Bucks County Community College or Luzerne County Community College graduates earn more?
Bucks County Community College graduates report a median $47,324 ten years after entry, $6,887 more than the $40,437 at Luzerne 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 leaves students with less debt, Bucks County Community College or Luzerne County Community College?
Luzerne County Community College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $12,000 at Bucks County Community College, a difference of $1,000. 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?
32% of students finish at Bucks County Community College, against 23% at Luzerne 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.