Head-to-head comparison
Frederick Community College vs Baltimore City Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Frederick, MD
Frederick Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,465
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,449
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Baltimore, MD
Baltimore City Community College
- Net price / year
- $15,987
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,025
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Frederick Community College comes closer — median earnings $46,449 against a $18,930 total, vs $36,025 at Baltimore City Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Frederick Community College | Baltimore City Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,465 | $15,987 |
| Total net cost | $18,930 | $31,974 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,449 | $36,025 |
| Median debt | $8,150 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$57,150 | -$278,674 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Frederick Community College or Baltimore City Community College?
Frederick Community College, at $9,465 a year after aid versus $15,987 — a gap of $6,522 a year, or $13,044 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 Frederick Community College or Baltimore City Community College graduates earn more?
Frederick Community College graduates report a median $46,449 ten years after entry, $10,424 more than the $36,025 at Baltimore City 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?
37% of students finish at Frederick Community College, against 17% at Baltimore City 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.