Head-to-head comparison
Delgado Community College vs Tulane University of Louisiana: which has better ROI?
Option A New Orleans, LA
Delgado Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,747
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,305
- Payback
- No payback
Option B New Orleans, LA
Tulane University of Louisiana
- Net price / year
- $39,949
- Earnings, 10 years
- $63,268
- Payback
- 10.7 yrs
Tulane University of Louisiana has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $159,796 in 10.7 years versus not at all at Delgado Community College, on median earnings of $63,268 vs $33,305 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Delgado Community College | Tulane University of Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,747 | $39,949 |
| Total net cost | $38,988 | $159,796 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $33,305 | $63,268 |
| Median debt | $20,198 | $20,500 |
| Payback | — | 10.7 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$340,088 | $138,364 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Delgado Community College or Tulane University of Louisiana?
Delgado Community College, at $9,747 a year after aid versus $39,949 — a gap of $30,202 a year, or $120,808 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 Delgado Community College or Tulane University of Louisiana graduates earn more?
Tulane University of Louisiana graduates report a median $63,268 ten years after entry, $29,963 more than the $33,305 at Delgado 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, Delgado Community College or Tulane University of Louisiana?
Delgado Community College: its completers carry a median $20,198 in federal loans versus $20,500 at Tulane University of Louisiana, a difference of $302. 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?
86% of students finish at Tulane University of Louisiana, against 24% at Delgado 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.