Head-to-head comparison
Clark College vs Seattle Central College: which has better ROI?
Option A Vancouver, WA
Clark College
- Net price / year
- $11,465
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,356
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Seattle, WA
Seattle Central College
- Net price / year
- $8,819
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,307
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Seattle Central College comes closer — median earnings $43,307 against a $17,638 total, vs $42,356 at Clark College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Clark College | Seattle Central College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,465 | $8,819 |
| Total net cost | $22,930 | $17,638 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,356 | $43,307 |
| Median debt | $10,881 | $12,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$143,010 | -$118,698 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Clark College or Seattle Central College?
Seattle Central College, at $8,819 a year after aid versus $11,465 — a gap of $2,646 a year, or $5,292 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 Clark College or Seattle Central College graduates earn more?
Seattle Central College graduates report a median $43,307 ten years after entry, $951 more than the $42,356 at Clark 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, Clark College or Seattle Central College?
Clark College: its completers carry a median $10,881 in federal loans versus $12,000 at Seattle Central College, a difference of $1,119. 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?
39% of students finish at Clark College, against 32% at Seattle Central 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.