Head-to-head comparison
Nashua Community College vs Colby-Sawyer College: which has better ROI?
Option A Nashua, NH
Nashua Community College
- Net price / year
- $23,154
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,164
- Payback
- No payback
Option B New London, NH
Colby-Sawyer College
- Net price / year
- $27,431
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,474
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Nashua Community College comes closer — median earnings $46,164 against a $46,308 total, vs $46,474 at Colby-Sawyer College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Nashua Community College | Colby-Sawyer College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $23,154 | $27,431 |
| Total net cost | $46,308 | $109,724 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,164 | $46,474 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $27,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$90,228 | -$147,444 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Nashua Community College or Colby-Sawyer College?
Nashua Community College, at $23,154 a year after aid versus $27,431 — a gap of $4,277 a year, or $63,416 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 Nashua Community College or Colby-Sawyer College graduates earn more?
Colby-Sawyer College graduates report a median $46,474 ten years after entry, $310 more than the $46,164 at Nashua 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, Nashua Community College or Colby-Sawyer College?
Nashua Community College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Colby-Sawyer College, a difference of $16,000. 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?
57% of students finish at Colby-Sawyer College, against 38% at Nashua 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.