Head-to-head comparison
Navajo Technical University vs Carrington College-Albuquerque: which has better ROI?
Option A Crownpoint, NM
Navajo Technical University
- Net price / year
- $5,338
- Earnings, 10 years
- $26,364
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Albuquerque, NM
Carrington College-Albuquerque
- Net price / year
- $49,030
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,718
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Carrington College-Albuquerque comes closer — median earnings $36,718 against a $196,120 total, vs $26,364 at Navajo Technical University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Navajo Technical University | Carrington College-Albuquerque |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,338 | $49,030 |
| Total net cost | $21,352 | $196,120 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $26,364 | $36,718 |
| Median debt | — | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$461,272 | -$428,960 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Navajo Technical University or Carrington College-Albuquerque?
Navajo Technical University, at $5,338 a year after aid versus $49,030 — a gap of $43,692 a year, or $174,768 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 Navajo Technical University or Carrington College-Albuquerque graduates earn more?
Carrington College-Albuquerque graduates report a median $36,718 ten years after entry, $10,354 more than the $26,364 at Navajo Technical University. 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?
65% of students finish at Carrington College-Albuquerque, against 12% at Navajo Technical University. 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.