Head-to-head comparison
Rocky Mountain College vs Blackfeet Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Billings, MT
Rocky Mountain College
- Net price / year
- $19,751
- Earnings, 10 years
- $49,036
- Payback
- 116.9 yrs
Option B Browning, MT
Blackfeet Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,410
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,953
- Payback
- No payback
Rocky Mountain College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $79,004 in 116.9 years versus not at all at Blackfeet Community College, on median earnings of $49,036 vs $22,953 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Rocky Mountain College | Blackfeet Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $19,751 | $5,410 |
| Total net cost | $79,004 | $10,820 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $49,036 | $22,953 |
| Median debt | $26,000 | — |
| Payback | 116.9 yrs | — |
| 20-year net return | -$65,484 | -$518,960 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Rocky Mountain College or Blackfeet Community College?
Blackfeet Community College, at $5,410 a year after aid versus $19,751 — a gap of $14,341 a year, or $68,184 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 Rocky Mountain College or Blackfeet Community College graduates earn more?
Rocky Mountain College graduates report a median $49,036 ten years after entry, $26,083 more than the $22,953 at Blackfeet 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?
62% of students finish at Blackfeet Community College, against 48% at Rocky Mountain 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.