Head-to-head comparison
Surry Community College vs Beaufort County Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Dobson, NC
Surry Community College
- Net price / year
- $4,961
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,012
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Washington, NC
Beaufort County Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,500
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,519
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Surry Community College comes closer — median earnings $36,012 against a $19,844 total, vs $32,519 at Beaufort County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Surry Community College | Beaufort County Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,961 | $6,500 |
| Total net cost | $19,844 | $26,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,012 | $32,519 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$266,804 | -$342,820 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Surry Community College or Beaufort County Community College?
Surry Community College, at $4,961 a year after aid versus $6,500 — a gap of $1,539 a year, or $6,156 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 Surry Community College or Beaufort County Community College graduates earn more?
Surry Community College graduates report a median $36,012 ten years after entry, $3,493 more than the $32,519 at Beaufort County 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?
48% of students finish at Beaufort County Community College, against 6% at Surry 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.