Head-to-head comparison
Holmes Community College vs Alcorn State University: which has better ROI?
Option A Goodman, MS
Holmes Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,643
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,922
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Alcorn State, MS
Alcorn State University
- Net price / year
- $13,265
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,421
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Alcorn State University comes closer — median earnings $36,421 against a $53,060 total, vs $32,922 at Holmes Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Holmes Community College | Alcorn State University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,643 | $13,265 |
| Total net cost | $11,286 | $53,060 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,922 | $36,421 |
| Median debt | $9,274 | $27,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$320,046 | -$291,840 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Holmes Community College or Alcorn State University?
Holmes Community College, at $5,643 a year after aid versus $13,265 — a gap of $7,622 a year, or $41,774 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 Holmes Community College or Alcorn State University graduates earn more?
Alcorn State University graduates report a median $36,421 ten years after entry, $3,499 more than the $32,922 at Holmes 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, Holmes Community College or Alcorn State University?
Holmes Community College: its completers carry a median $9,274 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Alcorn State University, a difference of $17,726. 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?
57% of students finish at Alcorn State University, against 39% at Holmes 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.