Head-to-head comparison
Blue Mountain Community College vs Phagans School of Hair Design: which has better ROI?
Option A Pendleton, OR
Blue Mountain Community College
- Net price / year
- $13,095
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,375
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Happy Valley, OR
Phagans School of Hair Design
- Net price / year
- $16,313
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,912
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Blue Mountain Community College comes closer — median earnings $38,375 against a $26,190 total, vs $22,912 at Phagans School of Hair Design. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Blue Mountain Community College | Phagans School of Hair Design |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,095 | $16,313 |
| Total net cost | $26,190 | $65,252 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,375 | $22,912 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $8,297 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$225,890 | -$574,212 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Blue Mountain Community College or Phagans School of Hair Design?
Blue Mountain Community College, at $13,095 a year after aid versus $16,313 — a gap of $3,218 a year, or $39,062 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 Blue Mountain Community College or Phagans School of Hair Design graduates earn more?
Blue Mountain Community College graduates report a median $38,375 ten years after entry, $15,463 more than the $22,912 at Phagans School of Hair Design. 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, Blue Mountain Community College or Phagans School of Hair Design?
Phagans School of Hair Design: its completers carry a median $8,297 in federal loans versus $12,000 at Blue Mountain Community College, a difference of $3,703. 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?
80% of students finish at Phagans School of Hair Design, against 30% at Blue Mountain 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.