Head-to-head comparison
Harford Community College vs Cecil College: which has better ROI?
Option A Bel Air, MD
Harford Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,234
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,608
- Payback
- No payback
Option B North East, MD
Cecil College
- Net price / year
- $9,658
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,952
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Harford Community College comes closer — median earnings $44,608 against a $18,468 total, vs $43,952 at Cecil College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Harford Community College | Cecil College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,234 | $9,658 |
| Total net cost | $18,468 | $19,316 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,608 | $43,952 |
| Median debt | $9,812 | $9,536 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$93,508 | -$107,476 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Harford Community College or Cecil College?
Harford Community College, at $9,234 a year after aid versus $9,658 — a gap of $424 a year, or $848 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 Harford Community College or Cecil College graduates earn more?
Harford Community College graduates report a median $44,608 ten years after entry, $656 more than the $43,952 at Cecil 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, Harford Community College or Cecil College?
Cecil College: its completers carry a median $9,536 in federal loans versus $9,812 at Harford Community College, a difference of $276. 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 Harford Community College, against 37% at Cecil 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.