Degree Dividend
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Central Oregon Community College vs Blue Mountain Community College: which has better ROI?

Public, Bend OR · vs · Public, Pendleton OR

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Central Oregon Community College comes closer — median earnings $38,940 against a $24,532 total, vs $38,375 at Blue Mountain Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureCentral Oregon Community CollegeBlue Mountain Community College
Net price / yr$12,266$13,095
Total net cost$24,532$26,190
Median earnings, 10 yrs$38,940$38,375
Median debt$12,000$12,000
Payback
20-year net return-$212,932-$225,890

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

Which is cheaper, Central Oregon Community College or Blue Mountain Community College?

Central Oregon Community College, at $12,266 a year after aid versus $13,095 — a gap of $829 a year, or $1,658 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Central Oregon Community College or Blue Mountain Community College graduates earn more?

Central Oregon Community College graduates report a median $38,940 ten years after entry, $565 more than the $38,375 at Blue Mountain 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.

Which leaves students with less debt, Central Oregon Community College or Blue Mountain Community College?

Completers at both borrow a median $12,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.

Which graduates more of its students?

30% of students finish at Blue Mountain Community College, against 25% at Central Oregon 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.

Central Oregon Community College vs Blue Mountain Community College: frequently asked questions

Is Central Oregon Community College or Blue Mountain Community College a better value?
Central Oregon Community College comes closer, but neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings — the field you study decides it here more than the school.
Which is cheaper, Central Oregon Community College or Blue Mountain Community College?
Central Oregon Community College: $12,266/yr net price after aid versus $13,095/yr at Blue Mountain Community College — a difference of $829 a year, or about $1,658 over four years.
Do Central Oregon Community College or Blue Mountain Community College graduates earn more?
Central Oregon Community College graduates earn a median $38,940 ten years after entry, versus $38,375 at Blue Mountain Community College — a $565 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.