Head-to-head comparison
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute vs Beaufort County Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Hudson, NC
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
- Net price / year
- $10,810
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,515
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Washington, NC
Beaufort County Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,500
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,519
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute comes closer — median earnings $34,515 against a $21,620 total, vs $32,519 at Beaufort County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | Beaufort County Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,810 | $6,500 |
| Total net cost | $21,620 | $26,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,515 | $32,519 |
| Median debt | $8,750 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$298,520 | -$342,820 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute or Beaufort County Community College?
Beaufort County Community College, at $6,500 a year after aid versus $10,810 — a gap of $4,310 a year, or $4,380 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 Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute or Beaufort County Community College graduates earn more?
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute graduates report a median $34,515 ten years after entry, $1,996 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?
48% of students finish at Beaufort County Community College, against 45% at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. 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.