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Clatsop Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Public · Astoria, OR · 493 students

The verdict

Clatsop Community College charges a net price of $10,548/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $21,096. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,477, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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On institution-wide earnings, Clatsop Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #26 of 38 Oregon colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$10,548
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$39,477
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Clatsop Community College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$10,548/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (2 yrs)$21,096our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$39,477Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$8,883/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$11,602Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$198,756our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on Clatsop Community College's own numbers. Net price $10,548 × 2 years = $21,096 total. Median earnings $39,477 fall $8,883 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $21,096 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do Clatsop Community College students graduate with?

A median $11,602 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $39,477 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of Clatsop Community College students graduate?

29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $21,096 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $72,745 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is Clatsop Community College expensive compared with other Oregon colleges?

Its $10,548 net price runs $6,392 below the $16,940 median across the 38 Oregon colleges we profile, and $12,784 less across the full degree.

Clatsop Community College: frequently asked questions

Is Clatsop Community College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $39,477, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a Clatsop Community College degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does Clatsop Community College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $10,548/yr — about $21,096 over 2 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does Clatsop Community College compare to other Oregon colleges?
It ranks #26 of 38 Oregon colleges we track by payback. Its $39,477 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $10,548 net price is below the national median of $16,902.