Head-to-head comparison
Southwest Virginia Community College vs Arizona College of Nursing-Falls Church: 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 Falls Church, VA
Arizona College of Nursing-Falls Church
- Net price / year
- $38,690
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,657
- 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 $34,657 at Arizona College of Nursing-Falls Church. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southwest Virginia Community College | Arizona College of Nursing-Falls Church |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,005 | $38,690 |
| Total net cost | $24,020 | $154,760 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,221 | $34,657 |
| Median debt | — | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$306,800 | -$428,820 |
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 Arizona College of Nursing-Falls Church?
Southwest Virginia Community College, at $6,005 a year after aid versus $38,690 — a gap of $32,685 a year, or $130,740 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 Arizona College of Nursing-Falls Church graduates earn more?
Arizona College of Nursing-Falls Church graduates report a median $34,657 ten years after entry, $436 more than the $34,221 at Southwest Virginia 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.