Head-to-head comparison
Southwest Virginia Community College vs American National University: which has better ROI?
Option A Cedar Bluff, VA
Southwest Virginia Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,005
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,221
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Salem, VA
American National University
- Net price / year
- $18,036
- Earnings, 10 years
- $26,370
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Southwest Virginia Community College comes closer — median earnings $34,221 against a $24,020 total, vs $26,370 at American National University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southwest Virginia Community College | American National University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,005 | $18,036 |
| Total net cost | $24,020 | $36,072 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,221 | $26,370 |
| Median debt | — | $12,814 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$306,800 | -$475,872 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southwest Virginia Community College or American National University?
Southwest Virginia Community College, at $6,005 a year after aid versus $18,036 — a gap of $12,031 a year, or $12,052 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 Virginia Community College or American National University graduates earn more?
Southwest Virginia Community College graduates report a median $34,221 ten years after entry, $7,851 more than the $26,370 at American National University. 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?
46% of students finish at Southwest Virginia Community College, against 33% at American National University. 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.