Head-to-head comparison
Central State University vs Auburn Career Center: which has better ROI?
Option A Wilberforce, OH
Central State University
- Net price / year
- $13,096
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,267
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Concord Twp, OH
Auburn Career Center
- Net price / year
- $12,051
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,032
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Auburn Career Center comes closer — median earnings $37,032 against a $48,204 total, vs $33,267 at Central State University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Central State University | Auburn Career Center |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,096 | $12,051 |
| Total net cost | $52,384 | $48,204 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $33,267 | $37,032 |
| Median debt | $30,739 | $6,365 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$354,244 | -$274,764 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Central State University or Auburn Career Center?
Auburn Career Center, at $12,051 a year after aid versus $13,096 — a gap of $1,045 a year, or $4,180 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 Central State University or Auburn Career Center graduates earn more?
Auburn Career Center graduates report a median $37,032 ten years after entry, $3,765 more than the $33,267 at Central State University. 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, Central State University or Auburn Career Center?
Auburn Career Center: its completers carry a median $6,365 in federal loans versus $30,739 at Central State University, a difference of $24,374. 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?
69% of students finish at Auburn Career Center, against 23% at Central State University. 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.