Head-to-head comparison
Cloud County Community College vs Sterling College: which has better ROI?
Option A Concordia, KS
Cloud County Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,685
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,883
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Sterling, KS
Sterling College
- Net price / year
- $22,371
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,846
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Sterling College comes closer — median earnings $45,846 against a $89,484 total, vs $39,883 at Cloud County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Cloud County Community College | Sterling College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,685 | $22,371 |
| Total net cost | $46,740 | $89,484 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,883 | $45,846 |
| Median debt | $8,000 | $24,625 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$216,280 | -$139,764 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Cloud County Community College or Sterling College?
Cloud County Community College, at $11,685 a year after aid versus $22,371 — a gap of $10,686 a year, or $42,744 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 Cloud County Community College or Sterling College graduates earn more?
Sterling College graduates report a median $45,846 ten years after entry, $5,963 more than the $39,883 at Cloud County 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, Cloud County Community College or Sterling College?
Cloud County Community College: its completers carry a median $8,000 in federal loans versus $24,625 at Sterling College, a difference of $16,625. 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?
55% of students finish at Cloud County Community College, against 41% at Sterling 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.