Head-to-head comparison
Laramie County Community College vs Northwest College: which has better ROI?
Option A Cheyenne, WY
Laramie County Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,287
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,783
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Powell, WY
Northwest College
- Net price / year
- $7,463
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,950
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Laramie County Community College comes closer — median earnings $44,783 against a $14,574 total, vs $36,950 at Northwest College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Laramie County Community College | Northwest College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,287 | $7,463 |
| Total net cost | $14,574 | $14,926 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,783 | $36,950 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $10,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$86,114 | -$243,126 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Laramie County Community College or Northwest College?
Laramie County Community College, at $7,287 a year after aid versus $7,463 — a gap of $176 a year, or $352 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 Laramie County Community College or Northwest College graduates earn more?
Laramie County Community College graduates report a median $44,783 ten years after entry, $7,833 more than the $36,950 at Northwest 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, Laramie County Community College or Northwest College?
Northwest College: its completers carry a median $10,000 in federal loans versus $11,000 at Laramie County Community College, a difference of $1,000. 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?
49% of students finish at Northwest College, against 38% at Laramie County 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.