Head-to-head comparison
Southwest Tennessee Community College vs Bethel University: which has better ROI?
Option A Memphis, TN
Southwest Tennessee Community College
- Net price / year
- $4,754
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,071
- Payback
- No payback
Option B McKenzie, TN
Bethel University
- Net price / year
- $12,595
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,482
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bethel University comes closer — median earnings $47,482 against a $50,380 total, vs $34,071 at Southwest Tennessee Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southwest Tennessee Community College | Bethel University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,754 | $12,595 |
| Total net cost | $9,508 | $50,380 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,071 | $47,482 |
| Median debt | — | $27,249 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$295,288 | -$67,940 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southwest Tennessee Community College or Bethel University?
Southwest Tennessee Community College, at $4,754 a year after aid versus $12,595 — a gap of $7,841 a year, or $40,872 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 Southwest Tennessee Community College or Bethel University graduates earn more?
Bethel University graduates report a median $47,482 ten years after entry, $13,411 more than the $34,071 at Southwest Tennessee 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?
35% of students finish at Bethel University, against 19% at Southwest Tennessee 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.