Head-to-head comparison
North Seattle College vs Clover Park Technical College: which has better ROI?
Option A Seattle, WA
North Seattle College
- Net price / year
- $10,740
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,728
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Lakewood, WA
Clover Park Technical College
- Net price / year
- $9,864
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,787
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but North Seattle College comes closer — median earnings $47,728 against a $42,960 total, vs $41,787 at Clover Park Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | North Seattle College | Clover Park Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,740 | $9,864 |
| Total net cost | $42,960 | $39,456 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,728 | $41,787 |
| Median debt | $15,458 | $12,112 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$55,600 | -$170,916 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, North Seattle College or Clover Park Technical College?
Clover Park Technical College, at $9,864 a year after aid versus $10,740 — a gap of $876 a year, or $3,504 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 North Seattle College or Clover Park Technical College graduates earn more?
North Seattle College graduates report a median $47,728 ten years after entry, $5,941 more than the $41,787 at Clover Park Technical 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, North Seattle College or Clover Park Technical College?
Clover Park Technical College: its completers carry a median $12,112 in federal loans versus $15,458 at North Seattle College, a difference of $3,346. 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?
43% of students finish at Clover Park Technical College, against 33% at North Seattle 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.