Head-to-head comparison
Troy University vs Bishop State Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Troy, AL
Troy University
- Net price / year
- $16,527
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,062
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Mobile, AL
Bishop State Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,397
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,916
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Troy University comes closer — median earnings $42,062 against a $66,108 total, vs $29,916 at Bishop State Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Troy University | Bishop State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,527 | $5,397 |
| Total net cost | $66,108 | $21,588 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,062 | $29,916 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$192,068 | -$390,468 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Troy University or Bishop State Community College?
Bishop State Community College, at $5,397 a year after aid versus $16,527 — a gap of $11,130 a year, or $44,520 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 Troy University or Bishop State Community College graduates earn more?
Troy University graduates report a median $42,062 ten years after entry, $12,146 more than the $29,916 at Bishop State 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?
50% of students finish at Troy University, against 36% at Bishop State 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.