Head-to-head comparison
Galen College of Nursing-Louisville vs Centre College: which has better ROI?
Option A Louisville, KY
Galen College of Nursing-Louisville
- Net price / year
- $18,540
- Earnings, 10 years
- $61,480
- Payback
- 5.7 yrs
Option B Danville, KY
Centre College
- Net price / year
- $20,781
- Earnings, 10 years
- $66,240
- Payback
- 4.6 yrs
Centre College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $83,124 in 4.6 years versus 5.7 years at Galen College of Nursing-Louisville, on median earnings of $66,240 vs $61,480 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Galen College of Nursing-Louisville | Centre College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $18,540 | $20,781 |
| Total net cost | $74,160 | $83,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $61,480 | $66,240 |
| Median debt | $24,166 | $27,000 |
| Payback | 5.7 yrs | 4.6 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $188,240 | $274,476 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Galen College of Nursing-Louisville or Centre College?
Galen College of Nursing-Louisville, at $18,540 a year after aid versus $20,781 — a gap of $2,241 a year, or $8,964 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 Galen College of Nursing-Louisville or Centre College graduates earn more?
Centre College graduates report a median $66,240 ten years after entry, $4,760 more than the $61,480 at Galen College of Nursing-Louisville. 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, Galen College of Nursing-Louisville or Centre College?
Galen College of Nursing-Louisville: its completers carry a median $24,166 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Centre College, a difference of $2,834. 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?
81% of students finish at Centre College, against 61% at Galen College of Nursing-Louisville. 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.