Head-to-head comparison
Southern University at Shreveport vs Blue Cliff College-Alexandria: which has better ROI?
Option A Shreveport, LA
Southern University at Shreveport
- Net price / year
- $11,049
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,099
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Alexandria, LA
Blue Cliff College-Alexandria
- Net price / year
- $16,253
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,177
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Southern University at Shreveport comes closer — median earnings $33,099 against a $22,098 total, vs $22,177 at Blue Cliff College-Alexandria. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southern University at Shreveport | Blue Cliff College-Alexandria |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,049 | $16,253 |
| Total net cost | $22,098 | $65,012 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $33,099 | $22,177 |
| Median debt | $18,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$327,318 | -$588,672 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southern University at Shreveport or Blue Cliff College-Alexandria?
Southern University at Shreveport, at $11,049 a year after aid versus $16,253 — a gap of $5,204 a year, or $42,914 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 at Shreveport or Blue Cliff College-Alexandria graduates earn more?
Southern University at Shreveport graduates report a median $33,099 ten years after entry, $10,922 more than the $22,177 at Blue Cliff College-Alexandria. 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 at Shreveport or Blue Cliff College-Alexandria?
Blue Cliff College-Alexandria: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $18,500 at Southern University at Shreveport, a difference of $9,000. 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?
34% of students finish at Blue Cliff College-Alexandria, against 10% at Southern University at Shreveport. 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.