Head-to-head comparison
Mt Hood Community College vs Blue Mountain Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Gresham, OR
Mt Hood Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,821
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,125
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Pendleton, OR
Blue Mountain Community College
- Net price / year
- $13,095
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,375
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Mt Hood Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,125 against a $15,642 total, vs $38,375 at Blue Mountain Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Mt Hood Community College | Blue Mountain Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,821 | $13,095 |
| Total net cost | $15,642 | $26,190 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,125 | $38,375 |
| Median debt | $13,667 | $12,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$160,342 | -$225,890 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Mt Hood Community College or Blue Mountain Community College?
Mt Hood Community College, at $7,821 a year after aid versus $13,095 — a gap of $5,274 a year, or $10,548 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 Mt Hood Community College or Blue Mountain Community College graduates earn more?
Mt Hood Community College graduates report a median $41,125 ten years after entry, $2,750 more than the $38,375 at Blue Mountain 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, Mt Hood Community College or Blue Mountain Community College?
Blue Mountain Community College: its completers carry a median $12,000 in federal loans versus $13,667 at Mt Hood Community College, a difference of $1,667. 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?
30% of students finish at Blue Mountain Community College, against 24% at Mt Hood 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.