Head-to-head comparison
Kennebec Valley Community College vs Beal University: which has better ROI?
Option A Fairfield, ME
Kennebec Valley Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,910
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,035
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Bangor, ME
Beal University
- Net price / year
- $40,109
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,639
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Kennebec Valley Community College comes closer — median earnings $36,035 against a $7,820 total, vs $35,639 at Beal University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Kennebec Valley Community College | Beal University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,910 | $40,109 |
| Total net cost | $7,820 | $80,218 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,035 | $35,639 |
| Median debt | $13,255 | $19,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$254,320 | -$334,638 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Kennebec Valley Community College or Beal University?
Kennebec Valley Community College, at $3,910 a year after aid versus $40,109 — a gap of $36,199 a year, or $72,398 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 Kennebec Valley Community College or Beal University graduates earn more?
Kennebec Valley Community College graduates report a median $36,035 ten years after entry, $396 more than the $35,639 at Beal University. 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, Kennebec Valley Community College or Beal University?
Kennebec Valley Community College: its completers carry a median $13,255 in federal loans versus $19,500 at Beal University, a difference of $6,245. 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 Kennebec Valley Community College, against 36% at Beal 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.