Head-to-head comparison
South College vs Cleveland State Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Knoxville, TN
South College
- Net price / year
- $17,858
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,642
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cleveland, TN
Cleveland State Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,384
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,671
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Cleveland State Community College comes closer — median earnings $36,671 against a $12,768 total, vs $36,642 at South College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | South College | Cleveland State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,858 | $6,384 |
| Total net cost | $35,716 | $12,768 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,642 | $36,671 |
| Median debt | $18,668 | $7,954 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$270,076 | -$246,548 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, South College or Cleveland State Community College?
Cleveland State Community College, at $6,384 a year after aid versus $17,858 — a gap of $11,474 a year, or $22,948 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 South College or Cleveland State Community College graduates earn more?
Cleveland State Community College graduates report a median $36,671 ten years after entry, $29 more than the $36,642 at South 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 leaves students with less debt, South College or Cleveland State Community College?
Cleveland State Community College: its completers carry a median $7,954 in federal loans versus $18,668 at South College, a difference of $10,714. 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?
42% of students finish at South College, against 37% at Cleveland 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.