Head-to-head comparison
Hagerstown Community College vs Carroll Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Hagerstown, MD
Hagerstown Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,835
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,615
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Westminster, MD
Carroll Community College
- Net price / year
- $2,725
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,349
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Carroll Community College comes closer — median earnings $44,349 against a $5,450 total, vs $41,615 at Hagerstown Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Hagerstown Community College | Carroll Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,835 | $2,725 |
| Total net cost | $13,670 | $5,450 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,615 | $44,349 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $11,750 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$148,570 | -$85,670 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Hagerstown Community College or Carroll Community College?
Carroll Community College, at $2,725 a year after aid versus $6,835 — a gap of $4,110 a year, or $8,220 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 Hagerstown Community College or Carroll Community College graduates earn more?
Carroll Community College graduates report a median $44,349 ten years after entry, $2,734 more than the $41,615 at Hagerstown 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, Hagerstown Community College or Carroll Community College?
Hagerstown Community College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $11,750 at Carroll Community College, a difference of $750. 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?
39% of students finish at Hagerstown Community College, against 39% at Carroll 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.