Head-to-head comparison
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College vs Alamance Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Salisbury, NC
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,981
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,936
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Graham, NC
Alamance Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,109
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,241
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Rowan-Cabarrus Community College comes closer — median earnings $34,936 against a $31,924 total, vs $34,241 at Alamance Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | Alamance Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,981 | $6,109 |
| Total net cost | $31,924 | $24,436 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,936 | $34,241 |
| Median debt | $9,458 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$300,404 | -$306,816 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College or Alamance Community College?
Alamance Community College, at $6,109 a year after aid versus $7,981 — a gap of $1,872 a year, or $7,488 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 Rowan-Cabarrus Community College or Alamance Community College graduates earn more?
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College graduates report a median $34,936 ten years after entry, $695 more than the $34,241 at Alamance 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?
39% of students finish at Alamance Community College, against 35% at Rowan-Cabarrus 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.