Head-to-head comparison
Olympic College vs Big Bend Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Bremerton, WA
Olympic College
- Net price / year
- $7,172
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,169
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Moses Lake, WA
Big Bend Community College
- Net price / year
- $12,210
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,814
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Big Bend Community College comes closer — median earnings $43,814 against a $24,420 total, vs $43,169 at Olympic College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Olympic College | Big Bend Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,172 | $12,210 |
| Total net cost | $14,344 | $24,420 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,169 | $43,814 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $9,166 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$118,164 | -$115,340 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Olympic College or Big Bend Community College?
Olympic College, at $7,172 a year after aid versus $12,210 — a gap of $5,038 a year, or $10,076 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 Olympic College or Big Bend Community College graduates earn more?
Big Bend Community College graduates report a median $43,814 ten years after entry, $645 more than the $43,169 at Olympic 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, Olympic College or Big Bend Community College?
Big Bend Community College: its completers carry a median $9,166 in federal loans versus $12,000 at Olympic College, a difference of $2,834. 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 Big Bend Community College, against 31% at Olympic 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.