Head-to-head comparison
University of West Alabama vs Bevill State Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Livingston, AL
University of West Alabama
- Net price / year
- $12,684
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,232
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Jasper, AL
Bevill State Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,937
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,107
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but University of West Alabama comes closer — median earnings $44,232 against a $50,736 total, vs $34,107 at Bevill State Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | University of West Alabama | Bevill State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,684 | $5,937 |
| Total net cost | $50,736 | $23,748 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,232 | $34,107 |
| Median debt | $24,944 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$133,296 | -$308,808 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, University of West Alabama or Bevill State Community College?
Bevill State Community College, at $5,937 a year after aid versus $12,684 — a gap of $6,747 a year, or $26,988 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 University of West Alabama or Bevill State Community College graduates earn more?
University of West Alabama graduates report a median $44,232 ten years after entry, $10,125 more than the $34,107 at Bevill 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?
38% of students finish at Bevill State Community College, against 35% at University of West Alabama. 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.