Your point about the mess and noise of a CNC router - in a college dorm environment - cannot be ignored, and it is not trivial. Plus, CNC routers tend to be heavy, several hundred pounds perhaps.
So simply from a "where can I put/use this thing" point of view, a 3D printer is your better option.
Some different opinions on several 3D printers in your price range:
http://kronosrobotics.com/3d/index.shtml