Head-to-head comparison
Wayne County Community College District vs Bay de Noc Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Detroit, MI
Wayne County Community College District
- Net price / year
- $7,656
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,079
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Escanaba, MI
Bay de Noc Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,949
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,090
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bay de Noc Community College comes closer — median earnings $35,090 against a $23,898 total, vs $29,079 at Wayne County Community College District. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Wayne County Community College District | Bay de Noc Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,656 | $11,949 |
| Total net cost | $15,312 | $23,898 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $29,079 | $35,090 |
| Median debt | $12,062 | $12,618 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$400,932 | -$289,298 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Wayne County Community College District or Bay de Noc Community College?
Wayne County Community College District, at $7,656 a year after aid versus $11,949 — a gap of $4,293 a year, or $8,586 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 Wayne County Community College District or Bay de Noc Community College graduates earn more?
Bay de Noc Community College graduates report a median $35,090 ten years after entry, $6,011 more than the $29,079 at Wayne County Community College District. 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, Wayne County Community College District or Bay de Noc Community College?
Wayne County Community College District: its completers carry a median $12,062 in federal loans versus $12,618 at Bay de Noc Community College, a difference of $556. 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?
30% of students finish at Bay de Noc Community College, against 22% at Wayne County Community College District. 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.