Head-to-head comparison
Daytona State College vs Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach: which has better ROI?
Option A Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona State College
- Net price / year
- $7,177
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,096
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Daytona Beach, FL
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
- Net price / year
- $41,272
- Earnings, 10 years
- $84,131
- Payback
- 4.6 yrs
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $165,088 in 4.6 years versus not at all at Daytona State College, on median earnings of $84,131 vs $37,096 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Daytona State College | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,177 | $41,272 |
| Total net cost | $14,354 | $165,088 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,096 | $84,131 |
| Median debt | $8,250 | $23,666 |
| Payback | — | 4.6 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$239,634 | $550,332 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Daytona State College or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach?
Daytona State College, at $7,177 a year after aid versus $41,272 — a gap of $34,095 a year, or $150,734 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 Daytona State College or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach graduates earn more?
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach graduates report a median $84,131 ten years after entry, $47,035 more than the $37,096 at Daytona State 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, Daytona State College or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach?
Daytona State College: its completers carry a median $8,250 in federal loans versus $23,666 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach, a difference of $15,416. 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?
67% of students finish at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach, against 43% at Daytona State 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.