Head-to-head comparison
Clover Park Technical College vs Lower Columbia College: which has better ROI?
Option A Lakewood, WA
Clover Park Technical College
- Net price / year
- $9,864
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,787
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Longview, WA
Lower Columbia College
- Net price / year
- $7,630
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,691
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lower Columbia College comes closer — median earnings $40,691 against a $15,260 total, vs $41,787 at Clover Park Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Clover Park Technical College | Lower Columbia College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,864 | $7,630 |
| Total net cost | $39,456 | $15,260 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,787 | $40,691 |
| Median debt | $12,112 | $10,506 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$170,916 | -$168,640 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Clover Park Technical College or Lower Columbia College?
Lower Columbia College, at $7,630 a year after aid versus $9,864 — a gap of $2,234 a year, or $24,196 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 Clover Park Technical College or Lower Columbia College graduates earn more?
Clover Park Technical College graduates report a median $41,787 ten years after entry, $1,096 more than the $40,691 at Lower Columbia 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, Clover Park Technical College or Lower Columbia College?
Lower Columbia College: its completers carry a median $10,506 in federal loans versus $12,112 at Clover Park Technical College, a difference of $1,606. 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?
43% of students finish at Clover Park Technical College, against 23% at Lower Columbia 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.