Head-to-head comparison
Southern University and A & M College vs Blue Cliff College-Metairie: which has better ROI?
Option A Baton Rouge, LA
Southern University and A & M College
- Net price / year
- $20,077
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,371
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Metairie, LA
Blue Cliff College-Metairie
- Net price / year
- $9,863
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,177
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Southern University and A & M College comes closer — median earnings $43,371 against a $80,308 total, vs $22,177 at Blue Cliff College-Metairie. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southern University and A & M College | Blue Cliff College-Metairie |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $20,077 | $9,863 |
| Total net cost | $80,308 | $39,452 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,371 | $22,177 |
| Median debt | $29,251 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$180,088 | -$563,112 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southern University and A & M College or Blue Cliff College-Metairie?
Blue Cliff College-Metairie, at $9,863 a year after aid versus $20,077 — a gap of $10,214 a year, or $40,856 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 Southern University and A & M College or Blue Cliff College-Metairie graduates earn more?
Southern University and A & M College graduates report a median $43,371 ten years after entry, $21,194 more than the $22,177 at Blue Cliff College-Metairie. 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, Southern University and A & M College or Blue Cliff College-Metairie?
Blue Cliff College-Metairie: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $29,251 at Southern University and A & M College, a difference of $19,751. 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?
56% of students finish at Blue Cliff College-Metairie, against 27% at Southern University and A & M 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.