Head-to-head comparison
Shelton State Community College vs Central Alabama Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Tuscaloosa, AL
Shelton State Community College
- Net price / year
- $14,557
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,014
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Alexander City, AL
Central Alabama Community College
- Net price / year
- $15,996
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,506
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Shelton State Community College comes closer — median earnings $35,014 against a $58,228 total, vs $33,506 at Central Alabama Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Shelton State Community College | Central Alabama Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,557 | $15,996 |
| Total net cost | $58,228 | $63,984 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,014 | $33,506 |
| Median debt | — | $9,766 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$325,148 | -$361,064 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Shelton State Community College or Central Alabama Community College?
Shelton State Community College, at $14,557 a year after aid versus $15,996 — a gap of $1,439 a year, or $5,756 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 Shelton State Community College or Central Alabama Community College graduates earn more?
Shelton State Community College graduates report a median $35,014 ten years after entry, $1,508 more than the $33,506 at Central Alabama 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?
33% of students finish at Central Alabama Community College, against 30% at Shelton 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.