Head-to-head comparison
Chemeketa Community College vs Columbia Gorge Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Salem, OR
Chemeketa Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,200
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,968
- Payback
- No payback
Option B The Dalles, OR
Columbia Gorge Community College
- Net price / year
- $10,416
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,440
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Columbia Gorge Community College comes closer — median earnings $44,440 against a $20,832 total, vs $40,968 at Chemeketa Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Chemeketa Community College | Columbia Gorge Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,200 | $10,416 |
| Total net cost | $16,400 | $20,832 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,968 | $44,440 |
| Median debt | $12,822 | $19,397 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$164,240 | -$99,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Chemeketa Community College or Columbia Gorge Community College?
Chemeketa Community College, at $8,200 a year after aid versus $10,416 — a gap of $2,216 a year, or $4,432 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 Chemeketa Community College or Columbia Gorge Community College graduates earn more?
Columbia Gorge Community College graduates report a median $44,440 ten years after entry, $3,472 more than the $40,968 at Chemeketa Community College. 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, Chemeketa Community College or Columbia Gorge Community College?
Chemeketa Community College: its completers carry a median $12,822 in federal loans versus $19,397 at Columbia Gorge Community College, a difference of $6,575. 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?
29% of students finish at Columbia Gorge Community College, against 21% at Chemeketa 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.