Degree Dividend
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Centralia College vs Grays Harbor College: which has better ROI?

Public, Centralia WA · vs · Public, Aberdeen WA

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Centralia College comes closer — median earnings $43,140 against a $19,724 total, vs $40,865 at Grays Harbor College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureCentralia CollegeGrays Harbor College
Net price / yr$9,862$4,783
Total net cost$19,724$9,566
Median earnings, 10 yrs$43,140$40,865
Median debt$11,075
Payback
20-year net return-$124,124-$159,466

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

Which is cheaper, Centralia College or Grays Harbor College?

Grays Harbor College, at $4,783 a year after aid versus $9,862 — a gap of $5,079 a year, or $10,158 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Centralia College or Grays Harbor College graduates earn more?

Centralia College graduates report a median $43,140 ten years after entry, $2,275 more than the $40,865 at Grays Harbor 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 graduates more of its students?

42% of students finish at Centralia College, against 39% at Grays Harbor 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.

Centralia College vs Grays Harbor College: frequently asked questions

Is Centralia College or Grays Harbor College a better value?
Centralia 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, Centralia College or Grays Harbor College?
Grays Harbor College: $4,783/yr net price after aid versus $9,862/yr at Centralia College — a difference of $5,079 a year, or about $10,158 over four years.
Do Centralia College or Grays Harbor College graduates earn more?
Centralia College graduates earn a median $43,140 ten years after entry, versus $40,865 at Grays Harbor College — a $2,275 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.