Head-to-head comparison
San Juan College vs Brookline College-Albuquerque: which has better ROI?
Option A Farmington, NM
San Juan College
- Net price / year
- $5,769
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,513
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Albuquerque, NM
Brookline College-Albuquerque
- Net price / year
- $37,459
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,576
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but San Juan College comes closer — median earnings $36,513 against a $23,076 total, vs $29,576 at Brookline College-Albuquerque. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | San Juan College | Brookline College-Albuquerque |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,769 | $37,459 |
| Total net cost | $23,076 | $149,836 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,513 | $29,576 |
| Median debt | $9,750 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$260,016 | -$525,516 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, San Juan College or Brookline College-Albuquerque?
San Juan College, at $5,769 a year after aid versus $37,459 — a gap of $31,690 a year, or $126,760 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 San Juan College or Brookline College-Albuquerque graduates earn more?
San Juan College graduates report a median $36,513 ten years after entry, $6,937 more than the $29,576 at Brookline 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, San Juan College or Brookline College-Albuquerque?
Brookline College-Albuquerque: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $9,750 at San Juan College, a difference of $250. 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?
47% of students finish at Brookline College-Albuquerque, against 37% at San Juan 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.