Head-to-head comparison
Cape Cod Community College vs Cambridge College: which has better ROI?
Option A West Barnstable, MA
Cape Cod Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,296
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,670
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Boston, MA
Cambridge College
- Net price / year
- $31,072
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,998
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Cape Cod Community College comes closer — median earnings $43,670 against a $16,592 total, vs $45,998 at Cambridge College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Cape Cod Community College | Cambridge College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,296 | $31,072 |
| Total net cost | $16,592 | $124,288 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,670 | $45,998 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $21,791 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$110,392 | -$171,528 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Cape Cod Community College or Cambridge College?
Cape Cod Community College, at $8,296 a year after aid versus $31,072 — a gap of $22,776 a year, or $107,696 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 Cape Cod Community College or Cambridge College graduates earn more?
Cambridge College graduates report a median $45,998 ten years after entry, $2,328 more than the $43,670 at Cape Cod 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, Cape Cod Community College or Cambridge College?
Cape Cod Community College: its completers carry a median $12,000 in federal loans versus $21,791 at Cambridge College, a difference of $9,791. 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?
22% of students finish at Cape Cod Community College, against 11% at Cambridge 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.