Head-to-head comparison
Western Piedmont Community College vs Beaufort County Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Morganton, NC
Western Piedmont Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,448
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,195
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Washington, NC
Beaufort County Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,500
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,519
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Western Piedmont Community College comes closer — median earnings $34,195 against a $12,896 total, vs $32,519 at Beaufort County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Western Piedmont Community College | Beaufort County Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,448 | $6,500 |
| Total net cost | $12,896 | $26,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,195 | $32,519 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$296,196 | -$342,820 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Western Piedmont Community College or Beaufort County Community College?
Western Piedmont Community College, at $6,448 a year after aid versus $6,500 — a gap of $52 a year, or $13,104 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 Western Piedmont Community College or Beaufort County Community College graduates earn more?
Western Piedmont Community College graduates report a median $34,195 ten years after entry, $1,676 more than the $32,519 at Beaufort County 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?
49% of students finish at Western Piedmont Community College, against 48% at Beaufort County 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.