Head-to-head comparison
Lansing Community College vs Bay de Noc Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Lansing, MI
Lansing Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,437
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,206
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Escanaba, MI
Bay de Noc Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,949
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,090
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lansing Community College comes closer — median earnings $39,206 against a $10,874 total, vs $35,090 at Bay de Noc Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Lansing Community College | Bay de Noc Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,437 | $11,949 |
| Total net cost | $10,874 | $23,898 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,206 | $35,090 |
| Median debt | $12,700 | $12,618 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$193,954 | -$289,298 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Lansing Community College or Bay de Noc Community College?
Lansing Community College, at $5,437 a year after aid versus $11,949 — a gap of $6,512 a year, or $13,024 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 Lansing Community College or Bay de Noc Community College graduates earn more?
Lansing Community College graduates report a median $39,206 ten years after entry, $4,116 more than the $35,090 at Bay de Noc 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, Lansing Community College or Bay de Noc Community College?
Bay de Noc Community College: its completers carry a median $12,618 in federal loans versus $12,700 at Lansing Community College, a difference of $82. 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?
30% of students finish at Bay de Noc Community College, against 25% at Lansing 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.