2026 data College Scorecard official source

Affordable Alternatives to Roanoke-Chowan Community College

Open-data reference.

We found 10 schools structurally similar to Roanoke-Chowan Community College that cost less. 10 offer comparable or better earnings outcomes.

Your School

Roanoke-Chowan Community College

Ahoskie, North Carolina · Public

$5,570
Net Price
$29,324
Median Earnings (10yr)
N/A
Acceptance Rate
N/A
Graduation Rate

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Alternatives to Roanoke-Chowan Community College

Roanoke-Chowan Community College posts an average net price of $5,570 after grants and scholarships, the IPEDS-derived figure used to anchor this alternatives search. We screened institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for colleges that report a lower net price and share structural similarity with Roanoke-Chowan Community College across six dimensions — ownership sector, Carnegie classification, undergraduate enrollment, admission rate, graduate earnings, and completion rate. 10 institutions cleared a 40-percent similarity threshold.

The maximum possible savings across this list is $7,866, achieved by Moorpark College at $-2,296. Of greater interest to ROI-focused applicants: 10 of the 10 alternatives also report median 10-year earnings at or above Roanoke-Chowan Community College’s $29,324, meaning lower cost is not paired with lower earnings. The mean median-earnings figure across alternatives is $48,088.

The similarity scoring treats enrollment size, Carnegie classification, and ownership sector as high-weight features because those structural attributes correlate most strongly with student experience and post-graduation outcomes in the College Scorecard literature. Admission rate and graduation rate enter as secondary features, while net price drives the cost-ranking that determines which institutions appear. Net price is an IPEDS-reported figure calculated as the average cost of attendance minus institutional and federal grants for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV aid — so it already accounts for the aid a typical admitted student would receive. That makes it a more honest cost comparison than sticker-price tuition alone.

Similar Schools That Cost Less

10
Alternatives Found
$7,866
Max Savings
10
Better Value Options
53%
Best Match

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (USD). Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Top 5 1. Las Positas College $51k 2. Suffolk County Community Col $50k 3. Moorpark College $49k 4. Santiago Canyon College $45k 5. Hartnell College $44k Compared to Roanoke-Chowan Community College: $29k.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Institution-level earnings + cost-of-attendance file · 2024 (latest release) Median 10-year earnings reflect federal-aid recipients only; net price reflects sticker price minus average grants/scholarships.

School Net Price Savings Earnings (10yr) Graduation Similarity
Las Positas College
Livermore, CA · Public Better Value
$5,377 -$193 $51,088 N/A 53%
Suffolk County Community College
Selden, NY · Public Better Value
$5,258 -$312 $49,907 N/A 53%
Moorpark College
Moorpark, CA · Public Better Value
$-2,296 -$7,866 $49,044 43.5% 53%
Santiago Canyon College
Orange, CA · Public Better Value
$2,129 -$3,441 $44,956 N/A 53%
Hartnell College
Salinas, CA · Public Better Value
$2,039 -$3,531 $44,316 N/A 53%
CUNY Queensborough Community College
Bayside, NY · Public Better Value
$4,458 -$1,112 $44,214 N/A 53%
Pasadena City College
Pasadena, CA · Public Better Value
$3,864 -$1,706 $43,937 N/A 53%
Ventura College
Ventura, CA · Public Better Value
$-982 -$6,552 $43,430 N/A 53%
Ohio University-Eastern Campus
Saint Clairsville, OH · Public Better Value
$3,925 -$1,645 $52,581 20.3% 52%
New Mexico Military Institute
Roswell, NM · Public Better Value
$4,571 -$999 $57,410 N/A 50%

How We Match Schools

Our similarity engine compares schools across six dimensions: institution type (Carnegie classification), ownership (public/private), enrollment size, admission selectivity, graduate earnings, and completion rates. Each dimension is weighted by its impact on student outcomes.

Only schools with a lower average net price than Roanoke-Chowan Community College are shown. Schools marked "Better Value" have comparable or higher median earnings at a lower cost.

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median values 10 years after enrollment, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records. Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students, as reported through IPEDS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cheaper alternatives to Roanoke-Chowan Community College?
We found 10 schools similar to Roanoke-Chowan Community College that cost less. The closest match is Las Positas College with 53% similarity and a net price of $5,377.
What is the ROI of attending Roanoke-Chowan Community College?
Roanoke-Chowan Community College has an average net price of $5,570. Graduates earn a median of $29,324 ten years after enrollment. The earnings-to-cost ratio is 5.3x.
Are there schools with better outcomes than Roanoke-Chowan Community College for less money?
Yes — 10 of 10 alternatives offer comparable or higher median earnings at a lower net price. Las Positas College costs $5,377 (saving $193) with median earnings of $51,088.
What is the cheapest alternative to Roanoke-Chowan Community College?
The most affordable similar school is Moorpark College at $-2,296, saving $7,866 compared to Roanoke-Chowan Community College. It has a 53% similarity score.
How do alternative schools' earnings compare?
The 10 alternatives have an average median earnings of $48,088 compared to Roanoke-Chowan Community College's $29,324. On average, alternatives match or exceed this school's earnings. Individual results vary — check the comparison table above.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.