Head-to-head comparison
Columbia Gorge Community College vs Clatsop Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A The Dalles, OR
Columbia Gorge Community College
- Net price / year
- $10,416
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,440
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Astoria, OR
Clatsop Community College
- Net price / year
- $10,548
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,477
- 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 $39,477 at Clatsop Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Columbia Gorge Community College | Clatsop Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,416 | $10,548 |
| Total net cost | $20,832 | $21,096 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,440 | $39,477 |
| Median debt | $19,397 | $11,602 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$99,232 | -$198,756 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Columbia Gorge Community College or Clatsop Community College?
Columbia Gorge Community College, at $10,416 a year after aid versus $10,548 — a gap of $132 a year, or $264 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 Columbia Gorge Community College or Clatsop Community College graduates earn more?
Columbia Gorge Community College graduates report a median $44,440 ten years after entry, $4,963 more than the $39,477 at Clatsop 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, Columbia Gorge Community College or Clatsop Community College?
Clatsop Community College: its completers carry a median $11,602 in federal loans versus $19,397 at Columbia Gorge Community College, a difference of $7,795. 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 Clatsop Community College, against 29% at Columbia Gorge 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.