Head-to-head comparison
Cecil College vs Fortis Institute-Towson: which has better ROI?
Option A North East, MD
Cecil College
- Net price / year
- $9,658
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,952
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Towson, MD
Fortis Institute-Towson
- Net price / year
- $31,549
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,368
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Cecil College comes closer — median earnings $43,952 against a $19,316 total, vs $36,368 at Fortis Institute-Towson. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Cecil College | Fortis Institute-Towson |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,658 | $31,549 |
| Total net cost | $19,316 | $126,196 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,952 | $36,368 |
| Median debt | $9,536 | $12,547 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$107,476 | -$366,036 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Cecil College or Fortis Institute-Towson?
Cecil College, at $9,658 a year after aid versus $31,549 — a gap of $21,891 a year, or $106,880 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 Cecil College or Fortis Institute-Towson graduates earn more?
Cecil College graduates report a median $43,952 ten years after entry, $7,584 more than the $36,368 at Fortis Institute-Towson. 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, Cecil College or Fortis Institute-Towson?
Cecil College: its completers carry a median $9,536 in federal loans versus $12,547 at Fortis Institute-Towson, a difference of $3,011. 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?
44% of students finish at Fortis Institute-Towson, against 37% at Cecil 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.