Head-to-head comparison
Northern New Mexico College vs Carrington College-Albuquerque: which has better ROI?
Option A Espanola, NM
Northern New Mexico College
- Net price / year
- $7,276
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,112
- 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 Northern New Mexico College comes closer — median earnings $38,112 against a $14,552 total, vs $36,718 at Carrington College-Albuquerque. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Northern New Mexico College | Carrington College-Albuquerque |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,276 | $49,030 |
| Total net cost | $14,552 | $196,120 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,112 | $36,718 |
| Median debt | $6,000 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$219,512 | -$428,960 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Northern New Mexico College or Carrington College-Albuquerque?
Northern New Mexico College, at $7,276 a year after aid versus $49,030 — a gap of $41,754 a year, or $181,568 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 Northern New Mexico College or Carrington College-Albuquerque graduates earn more?
Northern New Mexico College graduates report a median $38,112 ten years after entry, $1,394 more than the $36,718 at Carrington College-Albuquerque. 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, Northern New Mexico College or Carrington College-Albuquerque?
Northern New Mexico College: its completers carry a median $6,000 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Carrington College-Albuquerque, a difference of $3,500. 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?
65% of students finish at Carrington College-Albuquerque, against 29% at Northern New Mexico 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.