Head-to-head comparison
Highline College vs Carrington College-Spokane: which has better ROI?
Option A Des Moines, WA
Highline College
- Net price / year
- $9,879
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,869
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Spokane, WA
Carrington College-Spokane
- Net price / year
- $42,335
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,625
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Highline College comes closer — median earnings $47,869 against a $19,758 total, vs $36,625 at Carrington College-Spokane. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Highline College | Carrington College-Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,879 | $42,335 |
| Total net cost | $19,758 | $169,340 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,869 | $36,625 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,295 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$29,578 | -$404,040 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Highline College or Carrington College-Spokane?
Highline College, at $9,879 a year after aid versus $42,335 — a gap of $32,456 a year, or $149,582 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 Highline College or Carrington College-Spokane graduates earn more?
Highline College graduates report a median $47,869 ten years after entry, $11,244 more than the $36,625 at Carrington College-Spokane. 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, Highline College or Carrington College-Spokane?
Carrington College-Spokane: its completers carry a median $9,295 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Highline College, a difference of $205. 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-Spokane, against 35% at Highline 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.