Head-to-head comparison
Northwestern Technological Institute vs Bay Mills Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Southfield, MI
Northwestern Technological Institute
- Net price / year
- $34,423
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,237
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Brimley, MI
Bay Mills Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,073
- Earnings, 10 years
- $30,048
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Northwestern Technological Institute comes closer — median earnings $41,237 against a $137,692 total, vs $30,048 at Bay Mills Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Northwestern Technological Institute | Bay Mills Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,423 | $3,073 |
| Total net cost | $137,692 | $12,292 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,237 | $30,048 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$280,152 | -$378,532 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Northwestern Technological Institute or Bay Mills Community College?
Bay Mills Community College, at $3,073 a year after aid versus $34,423 — a gap of $31,350 a year, or $125,400 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 Northwestern Technological Institute or Bay Mills Community College graduates earn more?
Northwestern Technological Institute graduates report a median $41,237 ten years after entry, $11,189 more than the $30,048 at Bay Mills 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 graduates more of its students?
72% of students finish at Northwestern Technological Institute, against 30% at Bay Mills 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.