Head-to-head comparison
Nassau Community College vs Adelphi University: which has better ROI?
Option A Garden City, NY
Nassau Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,095
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,248
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Garden City, NY
Adelphi University
- Net price / year
- $30,783
- Earnings, 10 years
- $75,482
- Payback
- 4.5 yrs
Adelphi University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $123,132 in 4.5 years versus not at all at Nassau Community College, on median earnings of $75,482 vs $48,248 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Nassau Community College | Adelphi University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,095 | $30,783 |
| Total net cost | $14,190 | $123,132 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $48,248 | $75,482 |
| Median debt | $10,500 | $25,000 |
| Payback | — | 4.5 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$16,430 | $419,308 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Nassau Community College or Adelphi University?
Nassau Community College, at $7,095 a year after aid versus $30,783 — a gap of $23,688 a year, or $108,942 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 Nassau Community College or Adelphi University graduates earn more?
Adelphi University graduates report a median $75,482 ten years after entry, $27,234 more than the $48,248 at Nassau 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, Nassau Community College or Adelphi University?
Nassau Community College: its completers carry a median $10,500 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Adelphi University, a difference of $14,500. 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?
67% of students finish at Adelphi University, against 23% at Nassau 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.