Highline College vs Centralia College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Highline College comes closer — median earnings $47,869 against a $19,758 total, vs $43,140 at Centralia College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Highline College | Centralia College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,879 | $9,862 |
| Total net cost | $19,758 | $19,724 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,869 | $43,140 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$29,578 | -$124,124 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Highline College or Centralia College?
Centralia College, at $9,862 a year after aid versus $9,879 — a gap of $17 a year, or $34 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Highline College or Centralia College graduates earn more?
Highline College graduates report a median $47,869 ten years after entry, $4,729 more than the $43,140 at Centralia 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 35% at Highline 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.