Head-to-head comparison
Great Basin College vs Carrington College-Reno: which has better ROI?
Option A Elko, NV
Great Basin College
- Net price / year
- $8,471
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,289
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Reno, NV
Carrington College-Reno
- Net price / year
- $51,823
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,731
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Carrington College-Reno comes closer — median earnings $43,731 against a $103,646 total, vs $39,289 at Great Basin College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Great Basin College | Carrington College-Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,471 | $51,823 |
| Total net cost | $33,884 | $103,646 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,289 | $43,731 |
| Median debt | $15,750 | $15,188 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$215,304 | -$196,226 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Great Basin College or Carrington College-Reno?
Great Basin College, at $8,471 a year after aid versus $51,823 — a gap of $43,352 a year, or $69,762 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 Great Basin College or Carrington College-Reno graduates earn more?
Carrington College-Reno graduates report a median $43,731 ten years after entry, $4,442 more than the $39,289 at Great Basin 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, Great Basin College or Carrington College-Reno?
Carrington College-Reno: its completers carry a median $15,188 in federal loans versus $15,750 at Great Basin College, a difference of $562. 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?
42% of students finish at Carrington College-Reno, against 41% at Great Basin 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.