Head-to-head comparison
Fayetteville State University vs Alamance Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Fayetteville, NC
Fayetteville State University
- Net price / year
- $7,892
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,144
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Graham, NC
Alamance Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,109
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,241
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Fayetteville State University comes closer — median earnings $40,144 against a $31,568 total, vs $34,241 at Alamance Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Fayetteville State University | Alamance Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,892 | $6,109 |
| Total net cost | $31,568 | $24,436 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,144 | $34,241 |
| Median debt | $22,987 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$195,888 | -$306,816 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Fayetteville State University or Alamance Community College?
Alamance Community College, at $6,109 a year after aid versus $7,892 — a gap of $1,783 a year, or $7,132 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 Fayetteville State University or Alamance Community College graduates earn more?
Fayetteville State University graduates report a median $40,144 ten years after entry, $5,903 more than the $34,241 at Alamance 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 graduates more of its students?
39% of students finish at Alamance Community College, against 38% at Fayetteville State University. 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.