Head-to-head comparison
Roane State Community College vs Cleveland State Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Harriman, TN
Roane State Community College
- Net price / year
- $4,270
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,407
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cleveland, TN
Cleveland State Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,384
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,671
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Roane State Community College comes closer — median earnings $39,407 against a $8,540 total, vs $36,671 at Cleveland State Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Roane State Community College | Cleveland State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,270 | $6,384 |
| Total net cost | $8,540 | $12,768 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,407 | $36,671 |
| Median debt | $8,454 | $7,954 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$187,600 | -$246,548 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Roane State Community College or Cleveland State Community College?
Roane State Community College, at $4,270 a year after aid versus $6,384 — a gap of $2,114 a year, or $4,228 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 Roane State Community College or Cleveland State Community College graduates earn more?
Roane State Community College graduates report a median $39,407 ten years after entry, $2,736 more than the $36,671 at Cleveland State 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, Roane State Community College or Cleveland State Community College?
Cleveland State Community College: its completers carry a median $7,954 in federal loans versus $8,454 at Roane State Community College, a difference of $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?
37% of students finish at Cleveland State Community College, against 36% at Roane State 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.