Head-to-head comparison
College of Southern Maryland vs Allegany College of Maryland: which has better ROI?
Option A La Plata, MD
College of Southern Maryland
- Net price / year
- $9,204
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,435
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cumberland, MD
Allegany College of Maryland
- Net price / year
- $8,819
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,476
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but College of Southern Maryland comes closer — median earnings $44,435 against a $36,816 total, vs $38,476 at Allegany College of Maryland. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | College of Southern Maryland | Allegany College of Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,204 | $8,819 |
| Total net cost | $36,816 | $17,638 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,435 | $38,476 |
| Median debt | $8,500 | $13,702 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$115,316 | -$215,318 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, College of Southern Maryland or Allegany College of Maryland?
Allegany College of Maryland, at $8,819 a year after aid versus $9,204 — a gap of $385 a year, or $19,178 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 College of Southern Maryland or Allegany College of Maryland graduates earn more?
College of Southern Maryland graduates report a median $44,435 ten years after entry, $5,959 more than the $38,476 at Allegany College of Maryland. 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, College of Southern Maryland or Allegany College of Maryland?
College of Southern Maryland: its completers carry a median $8,500 in federal loans versus $13,702 at Allegany College of Maryland, a difference of $5,202. 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?
40% of students finish at Allegany College of Maryland, against 33% at College of Southern Maryland. 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.