Head-to-head comparison
Tidewater Community College vs American National University: which has better ROI?
Option A Norfolk, VA
Tidewater Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,762
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,349
- 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 Tidewater Community College comes closer — median earnings $38,349 against a $23,524 total, vs $26,370 at American National University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Tidewater Community College | American National University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,762 | $18,036 |
| Total net cost | $23,524 | $36,072 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,349 | $26,370 |
| Median debt | $10,000 | $12,814 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$223,744 | -$475,872 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Tidewater Community College or American National University?
Tidewater Community College, at $11,762 a year after aid versus $18,036 — a gap of $6,274 a year, or $12,548 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 Tidewater Community College or American National University graduates earn more?
Tidewater Community College graduates report a median $38,349 ten years after entry, $11,979 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 leaves students with less debt, Tidewater Community College or American National University?
Tidewater Community College: its completers carry a median $10,000 in federal loans versus $12,814 at American National University, a difference of $2,814. 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?
33% of students finish at American National University, against 32% at Tidewater 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.