Head-to-head comparison
Northwest State Community College vs Auburn Career Center: which has better ROI?
Option A Archbold, OH
Northwest State Community College
- Net price / year
- $13,555
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,004
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Concord Twp, OH
Auburn Career Center
- Net price / year
- $12,051
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,032
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Northwest State Community College comes closer — median earnings $40,004 against a $27,110 total, vs $37,032 at Auburn Career Center. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Northwest State Community College | Auburn Career Center |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,555 | $12,051 |
| Total net cost | $27,110 | $48,204 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,004 | $37,032 |
| Median debt | $9,750 | $6,365 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$194,230 | -$274,764 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Northwest State Community College or Auburn Career Center?
Auburn Career Center, at $12,051 a year after aid versus $13,555 — a gap of $1,504 a year, or $21,094 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 State Community College or Auburn Career Center graduates earn more?
Northwest State Community College graduates report a median $40,004 ten years after entry, $2,972 more than the $37,032 at Auburn Career Center. 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 State Community College or Auburn Career Center?
Auburn Career Center: its completers carry a median $6,365 in federal loans versus $9,750 at Northwest State Community College, a difference of $3,385. 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?
69% of students finish at Auburn Career Center, against 46% at Northwest State 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.