Head-to-head comparison
Delta College of Arts & Technology vs Blue Cliff College-Metairie: which has better ROI?
Option A Baton Rouge, LA
Delta College of Arts & Technology
- Net price / year
- $19,789
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,222
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Metairie, LA
Blue Cliff College-Metairie
- Net price / year
- $9,863
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,177
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Delta College of Arts & Technology comes closer — median earnings $34,222 against a $79,156 total, vs $22,177 at Blue Cliff College-Metairie. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Delta College of Arts & Technology | Blue Cliff College-Metairie |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $19,789 | $9,863 |
| Total net cost | $79,156 | $39,452 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,222 | $22,177 |
| Median debt | $7,393 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$361,916 | -$563,112 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Delta College of Arts & Technology or Blue Cliff College-Metairie?
Blue Cliff College-Metairie, at $9,863 a year after aid versus $19,789 — a gap of $9,926 a year, or $39,704 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 Delta College of Arts & Technology or Blue Cliff College-Metairie graduates earn more?
Delta College of Arts & Technology graduates report a median $34,222 ten years after entry, $12,045 more than the $22,177 at Blue Cliff College-Metairie. 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, Delta College of Arts & Technology or Blue Cliff College-Metairie?
Delta College of Arts & Technology: its completers carry a median $7,393 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Blue Cliff College-Metairie, a difference of $2,107. 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?
65% of students finish at Delta College of Arts & Technology, against 56% at Blue Cliff College-Metairie. 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.