Columbia Gorge Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Columbia Gorge Community College charges a net price of $10,416/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $20,832. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,440, 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.)
On institution-wide earnings, Columbia Gorge Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #20 of 38 Oregon colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $10,416/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $20,832 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,440 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,920/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $19,397 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$99,232 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Columbia Gorge Community College's own numbers. Net price $10,416 × 2 years = $20,832 total. Median earnings $44,440 fall $3,920 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 $20,832 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Columbia Gorge Community College students graduate with?
A median $19,397 in federal loans among completers, or 44% of the $44,440 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Columbia Gorge Community College students graduate?
29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,832 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $71,834 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Columbia Gorge Community College expensive compared with other Oregon colleges?
Its $10,416 net price runs $6,524 below the $16,940 median across the 38 Oregon colleges we profile, and $13,048 less across the full degree.