Head-to-head comparison
Eastern Iowa Community College District vs Marshalltown Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Davenport, IA
Eastern Iowa Community College District
- Net price / year
- $14,017
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,060
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Marshalltown, IA
Marshalltown Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,059
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,010
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Marshalltown Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,010 against a $16,118 total, vs $39,060 at Eastern Iowa Community College District. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Eastern Iowa Community College District | Marshalltown Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,017 | $8,059 |
| Total net cost | $56,068 | $16,118 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,060 | $41,010 |
| Median debt | $12,739 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$242,068 | -$163,118 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Eastern Iowa Community College District or Marshalltown Community College?
Marshalltown Community College, at $8,059 a year after aid versus $14,017 — a gap of $5,958 a year, or $39,950 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 Eastern Iowa Community College District or Marshalltown Community College graduates earn more?
Marshalltown Community College graduates report a median $41,010 ten years after entry, $1,950 more than the $39,060 at Eastern Iowa Community College District. 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, Eastern Iowa Community College District or Marshalltown Community College?
Marshalltown Community College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $12,739 at Eastern Iowa Community College District, a difference of $3,239. 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?
45% of students finish at Eastern Iowa Community College District, against 42% at Marshalltown 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.