Head-to-head comparison
Lawson State Community College vs Bishop State Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Birmingham, AL
Lawson State Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,275
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,701
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Mobile, AL
Bishop State Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,397
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,916
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lawson State Community College comes closer — median earnings $31,701 against a $12,550 total, vs $29,916 at Bishop State Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Lawson State Community College | Bishop State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,275 | $5,397 |
| Total net cost | $12,550 | $21,588 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $31,701 | $29,916 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$345,730 | -$390,468 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Lawson State Community College or Bishop State Community College?
Bishop State Community College, at $5,397 a year after aid versus $6,275 — a gap of $878 a year, or $9,038 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 Lawson State Community College or Bishop State Community College graduates earn more?
Lawson State Community College graduates report a median $31,701 ten years after entry, $1,785 more than the $29,916 at Bishop State 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 graduates more of its students?
36% of students finish at Bishop State Community College, against 27% at Lawson State 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.