Head-to-head comparison
Riverland Community College vs Central Lakes College-Brainerd: which has better ROI?
Option A Austin, MN
Riverland Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,427
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,247
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Brainerd, MN
Central Lakes College-Brainerd
- Net price / year
- $13,869
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,162
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Riverland Community College comes closer — median earnings $45,247 against a $29,708 total, vs $42,162 at Central Lakes College-Brainerd. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Riverland Community College | Central Lakes College-Brainerd |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,427 | $13,869 |
| Total net cost | $29,708 | $27,738 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,247 | $42,162 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $11,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$91,968 | -$151,698 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Riverland Community College or Central Lakes College-Brainerd?
Riverland Community College, at $7,427 a year after aid versus $13,869 — a gap of $6,442 a year, or $1,970 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 Riverland Community College or Central Lakes College-Brainerd graduates earn more?
Riverland Community College graduates report a median $45,247 ten years after entry, $3,085 more than the $42,162 at Central Lakes College-Brainerd. 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, Riverland Community College or Central Lakes College-Brainerd?
Central Lakes College-Brainerd: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $12,000 at Riverland Community College, a difference of $1,000. 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?
53% of students finish at Central Lakes College-Brainerd, against 52% at Riverland 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.