Head-to-head comparison
West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown vs Bethany College: which has better ROI?
Option A Morgantown, WV
West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown
- Net price / year
- $15,520
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,912
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Bethany, WV
Bethany College
- Net price / year
- $18,605
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,512
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bethany College comes closer — median earnings $44,512 against a $74,420 total, vs $31,912 at West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown | Bethany College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,520 | $18,605 |
| Total net cost | $31,040 | $74,420 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $31,912 | $44,512 |
| Median debt | $9,881 | $27,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$360,000 | -$151,380 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown or Bethany College?
West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown, at $15,520 a year after aid versus $18,605 — a gap of $3,085 a year, or $43,380 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 West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown or Bethany College graduates earn more?
Bethany College graduates report a median $44,512 ten years after entry, $12,600 more than the $31,912 at West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown. 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, West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown or Bethany College?
West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown: its completers carry a median $9,881 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Bethany College, a difference of $17,119. 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?
71% of students finish at West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown, against 47% at Bethany 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.