Head-to-head comparison
Northwest Career College vs Carrington College-Reno: which has better ROI?
Option A Las Vegas, NV
Northwest Career College
- Net price / year
- $16,470
- Earnings, 10 years
- $27,530
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Reno, NV
Carrington College-Reno
- Net price / year
- $51,823
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,731
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Carrington College-Reno comes closer — median earnings $43,731 against a $103,646 total, vs $27,530 at Northwest Career College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Northwest Career College | Carrington College-Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,470 | $51,823 |
| Total net cost | $65,880 | $103,646 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $27,530 | $43,731 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $15,188 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$482,480 | -$196,226 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Northwest Career College or Carrington College-Reno?
Northwest Career College, at $16,470 a year after aid versus $51,823 — a gap of $35,353 a year, or $37,766 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 Northwest Career College or Carrington College-Reno graduates earn more?
Carrington College-Reno graduates report a median $43,731 ten years after entry, $16,201 more than the $27,530 at Northwest Career 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, Northwest Career College or Carrington College-Reno?
Northwest Career College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $15,188 at Carrington College-Reno, a difference of $5,688. 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?
68% of students finish at Northwest Career College, against 42% at Carrington College-Reno. 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.