Head-to-head comparison
Lower Columbia College vs Carrington College-Spokane: which has better ROI?
Option A Longview, WA
Lower Columbia College
- Net price / year
- $7,630
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,691
- 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 Lower Columbia College comes closer — median earnings $40,691 against a $15,260 total, vs $36,625 at Carrington College-Spokane. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Lower Columbia College | Carrington College-Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,630 | $42,335 |
| Total net cost | $15,260 | $169,340 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,691 | $36,625 |
| Median debt | $10,506 | $9,295 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$168,640 | -$404,040 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Lower Columbia College or Carrington College-Spokane?
Lower Columbia College, at $7,630 a year after aid versus $42,335 — a gap of $34,705 a year, or $154,080 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 Lower Columbia College or Carrington College-Spokane graduates earn more?
Lower Columbia College graduates report a median $40,691 ten years after entry, $4,066 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, Lower Columbia College or Carrington College-Spokane?
Carrington College-Spokane: its completers carry a median $9,295 in federal loans versus $10,506 at Lower Columbia College, a difference of $1,211. 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 23% at Lower Columbia 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.