Head-to-head comparison
Walters State Community College vs Cleveland State Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Morristown, TN
Walters State Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,387
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,085
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cleveland, TN
Cleveland State Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,384
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,671
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Walters State Community College comes closer — median earnings $37,085 against a $10,774 total, vs $36,671 at Cleveland State Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Walters State Community College | Cleveland State Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,387 | $6,384 |
| Total net cost | $10,774 | $12,768 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,085 | $36,671 |
| Median debt | — | $7,954 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$236,274 | -$246,548 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Walters State Community College or Cleveland State Community College?
Walters State Community College, at $5,387 a year after aid versus $6,384 — a gap of $997 a year, or $1,994 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 Walters State Community College or Cleveland State Community College graduates earn more?
Walters State Community College graduates report a median $37,085 ten years after entry, $414 more than the $36,671 at Cleveland 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?
37% of students finish at Cleveland State Community College, against 33% at Walters 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.