Head-to-head comparison
Cleveland State Community College vs Welch College: which has better ROI?
Option A Cleveland, TN
Cleveland State Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,384
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,671
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Gallatin, TN
Welch College
- Net price / year
- $25,263
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,198
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Welch College comes closer — median earnings $42,198 against a $101,052 total, vs $36,671 at Cleveland State Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Cleveland State Community College | Welch College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,384 | $25,263 |
| Total net cost | $12,768 | $101,052 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,671 | $42,198 |
| Median debt | $7,954 | $19,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$246,548 | -$224,292 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Cleveland State Community College or Welch College?
Cleveland State Community College, at $6,384 a year after aid versus $25,263 — a gap of $18,879 a year, or $88,284 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 Cleveland State Community College or Welch College graduates earn more?
Welch College graduates report a median $42,198 ten years after entry, $5,527 more than the $36,671 at Cleveland State 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, Cleveland State Community College or Welch College?
Cleveland State Community College: its completers carry a median $7,954 in federal loans versus $19,500 at Welch College, a difference of $11,546. 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?
53% of students finish at Welch College, against 37% at Cleveland State 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.