Head-to-head comparison
Clark College vs Tacoma Community 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 Tacoma, WA
Tacoma Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,376
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,168
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Tacoma Community College comes closer — median earnings $47,168 against a $16,752 total, vs $42,356 at Clark College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Clark College | Tacoma Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,465 | $8,376 |
| Total net cost | $22,930 | $16,752 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,356 | $47,168 |
| Median debt | $10,881 | $13,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$143,010 | -$40,592 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Clark College or Tacoma Community College?
Tacoma Community College, at $8,376 a year after aid versus $11,465 — a gap of $3,089 a year, or $6,178 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 Tacoma Community College graduates earn more?
Tacoma Community College graduates report a median $47,168 ten years after entry, $4,812 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 Tacoma Community College?
Clark College: its completers carry a median $10,881 in federal loans versus $13,000 at Tacoma Community College, a difference of $2,119. 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 Tacoma 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.