Head-to-head comparison
Delta College vs Bay de Noc Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A University Center, MI
Delta College
- Net price / year
- $4,547
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,781
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Escanaba, MI
Bay de Noc Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,949
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,090
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Delta College comes closer — median earnings $37,781 against a $9,094 total, vs $35,090 at Bay de Noc Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Delta College | Bay de Noc Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,547 | $11,949 |
| Total net cost | $9,094 | $23,898 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,781 | $35,090 |
| Median debt | $10,978 | $12,618 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$220,674 | -$289,298 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Delta College or Bay de Noc Community College?
Delta College, at $4,547 a year after aid versus $11,949 — a gap of $7,402 a year, or $14,804 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 or Bay de Noc Community College graduates earn more?
Delta College graduates report a median $37,781 ten years after entry, $2,691 more than the $35,090 at Bay de Noc 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, Delta College or Bay de Noc Community College?
Delta College: its completers carry a median $10,978 in federal loans versus $12,618 at Bay de Noc Community College, a difference of $1,640. 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?
30% of students finish at Bay de Noc Community College, against 27% at Delta 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.