Bowling Green State University-Firelands vs Auburn Career Center: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bowling Green State University-Firelands comes closer — median earnings $47,896 against a $34,960 total, vs $37,032 at Auburn Career Center. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bowling Green State University-Firelands | Auburn Career Center |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,480 | $12,051 |
| Total net cost | $34,960 | $48,204 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,896 | $37,032 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $6,365 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$44,240 | -$274,764 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Bowling Green State University-Firelands or Auburn Career Center?
Auburn Career Center, at $12,051 a year after aid versus $17,480 — a gap of $5,429 a year, or $13,244 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Bowling Green State University-Firelands or Auburn Career Center graduates earn more?
Bowling Green State University-Firelands graduates report a median $47,896 ten years after entry, $10,864 more than the $37,032 at Auburn Career Center. 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.
Which leaves students with less debt, Bowling Green State University-Firelands or Auburn Career Center?
Auburn Career Center: its completers carry a median $6,365 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Bowling Green State University-Firelands, a difference of $18,635. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
69% of students finish at Auburn Career Center, against 11% at Bowling Green State University-Firelands. 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.