Head-to-head comparison
Portland Community College vs Clackamas Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Portland, OR
Portland Community College
- Net price / year
- $10,405
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,592
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Oregon City, OR
Clackamas Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,855
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,886
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Portland Community College comes closer — median earnings $44,592 against a $20,810 total, vs $42,886 at Clackamas Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Portland Community College | Clackamas Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,405 | $7,855 |
| Total net cost | $20,810 | $15,710 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,592 | $42,886 |
| Median debt | $12,999 | $11,992 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$96,170 | -$125,190 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Portland Community College or Clackamas Community College?
Clackamas Community College, at $7,855 a year after aid versus $10,405 — a gap of $2,550 a year, or $5,100 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 Portland Community College or Clackamas Community College graduates earn more?
Portland Community College graduates report a median $44,592 ten years after entry, $1,706 more than the $42,886 at Clackamas 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, Portland Community College or Clackamas Community College?
Clackamas Community College: its completers carry a median $11,992 in federal loans versus $12,999 at Portland Community College, a difference of $1,007. 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?
23% of students finish at Clackamas Community College, against 18% at Portland 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.