Head-to-head comparison
Meridian Community College vs Belhaven University: which has better ROI?
Option A Meridian, MS
Meridian Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,351
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,002
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Jackson, MS
Belhaven University
- Net price / year
- $15,676
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,440
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Belhaven University comes closer — median earnings $46,440 against a $62,704 total, vs $31,002 at Meridian Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Meridian Community College | Belhaven University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,351 | $15,676 |
| Total net cost | $12,702 | $62,704 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $31,002 | $46,440 |
| Median debt | $5,521 | $26,333 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$359,862 | -$101,104 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Meridian Community College or Belhaven University?
Meridian Community College, at $6,351 a year after aid versus $15,676 — a gap of $9,325 a year, or $50,002 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 Meridian Community College or Belhaven University graduates earn more?
Belhaven University graduates report a median $46,440 ten years after entry, $15,438 more than the $31,002 at Meridian 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, Meridian Community College or Belhaven University?
Meridian Community College: its completers carry a median $5,521 in federal loans versus $26,333 at Belhaven University, a difference of $20,812. 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 Belhaven University, against 34% at Meridian 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.