Head-to-head comparison
Lane Community College vs Central Oregon Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Eugene, OR
Lane Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,123
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,075
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Bend, OR
Central Oregon Community College
- Net price / year
- $12,266
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,940
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Central Oregon Community College comes closer — median earnings $38,940 against a $24,532 total, vs $38,075 at Lane Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Lane Community College | Central Oregon Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,123 | $12,266 |
| Total net cost | $18,246 | $24,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,075 | $38,940 |
| Median debt | $14,761 | $12,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$223,946 | -$212,932 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Lane Community College or Central Oregon Community College?
Lane Community College, at $9,123 a year after aid versus $12,266 — a gap of $3,143 a year, or $6,286 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 Lane Community College or Central Oregon Community College graduates earn more?
Central Oregon Community College graduates report a median $38,940 ten years after entry, $865 more than the $38,075 at Lane 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, Lane Community College or Central Oregon Community College?
Central Oregon Community College: its completers carry a median $12,000 in federal loans versus $14,761 at Lane Community College, a difference of $2,761. 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?
25% of students finish at Central Oregon Community College, against 20% at Lane 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.