Head-to-head comparison
Dallas College vs Dallas Baptist University: which has better ROI?
Option A Dallas, TX
Dallas College
- Net price / year
- $3,214
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,714
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Dallas, TX
Dallas Baptist University
- Net price / year
- $28,516
- Earnings, 10 years
- $56,807
- Payback
- 13.5 yrs
Dallas Baptist University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $114,064 in 13.5 years versus not at all at Dallas College, on median earnings of $56,807 vs $41,714 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Dallas College | Dallas Baptist University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,214 | $28,516 |
| Total net cost | $6,428 | $114,064 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,714 | $56,807 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $21,591 |
| Payback | — | 13.5 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$139,348 | $54,876 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Dallas College or Dallas Baptist University?
Dallas College, at $3,214 a year after aid versus $28,516 — a gap of $25,302 a year, or $107,636 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 Dallas College or Dallas Baptist University graduates earn more?
Dallas Baptist University graduates report a median $56,807 ten years after entry, $15,093 more than the $41,714 at Dallas 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, Dallas College or Dallas Baptist University?
Dallas College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $21,591 at Dallas Baptist University, a difference of $12,091. 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?
57% of students finish at Dallas Baptist University, against 32% at Dallas 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.