Head-to-head comparison
Santa Fe Community College vs Carrington College-Albuquerque: which has better ROI?
Option A Santa Fe, NM
Santa Fe Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,067
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,005
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Albuquerque, NM
Carrington College-Albuquerque
- Net price / year
- $49,030
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,718
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Santa Fe Community College comes closer — median earnings $38,005 against a $44,268 total, vs $36,718 at Carrington College-Albuquerque. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Santa Fe Community College | Carrington College-Albuquerque |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,067 | $49,030 |
| Total net cost | $44,268 | $196,120 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,005 | $36,718 |
| Median debt | $13,236 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$251,368 | -$428,960 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Santa Fe Community College or Carrington College-Albuquerque?
Santa Fe Community College, at $11,067 a year after aid versus $49,030 — a gap of $37,963 a year, or $151,852 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 Santa Fe Community College or Carrington College-Albuquerque graduates earn more?
Santa Fe Community College graduates report a median $38,005 ten years after entry, $1,287 more than the $36,718 at Carrington 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, Santa Fe Community College or Carrington College-Albuquerque?
Carrington College-Albuquerque: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $13,236 at Santa Fe Community College, a difference of $3,736. 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?
65% of students finish at Carrington College-Albuquerque, against 23% at Santa Fe 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.