Head-to-head comparison
Centralia College vs Paul Mitchell the School-Richland: which has better ROI?
Option A Centralia, WA
Centralia College
- Net price / year
- $9,862
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,140
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Richland, WA
Paul Mitchell the School-Richland
- Net price / year
- $26,617
- Earnings, 10 years
- $27,407
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Centralia College comes closer — median earnings $43,140 against a $19,724 total, vs $27,407 at Paul Mitchell the School-Richland. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Centralia College | Paul Mitchell the School-Richland |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,862 | $26,617 |
| Total net cost | $19,724 | $106,468 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,140 | $27,407 |
| Median debt | — | $9,917 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$124,124 | -$525,528 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Centralia College or Paul Mitchell the School-Richland?
Centralia College, at $9,862 a year after aid versus $26,617 — a gap of $16,755 a year, or $86,744 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 Centralia College or Paul Mitchell the School-Richland graduates earn more?
Centralia College graduates report a median $43,140 ten years after entry, $15,733 more than the $27,407 at Paul Mitchell the School-Richland. 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?
74% of students finish at Paul Mitchell the School-Richland, against 42% at Centralia 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.