Degree Dividend
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Mt Hood Community College vs Clatsop Community College: which has better ROI?

Public, Gresham OR · vs · Public, Astoria OR

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Mt Hood Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,125 against a $15,642 total, vs $39,477 at Clatsop Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureMt Hood Community CollegeClatsop Community College
Net price / yr$7,821$10,548
Total net cost$15,642$21,096
Median earnings, 10 yrs$41,125$39,477
Median debt$13,667$11,602
Payback
20-year net return-$160,342-$198,756

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

Which is cheaper, Mt Hood Community College or Clatsop Community College?

Mt Hood Community College, at $7,821 a year after aid versus $10,548 — a gap of $2,727 a year, or $5,454 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Mt Hood Community College or Clatsop Community College graduates earn more?

Mt Hood Community College graduates report a median $41,125 ten years after entry, $1,648 more than the $39,477 at Clatsop 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, Mt Hood Community College or Clatsop Community College?

Clatsop Community College: its completers carry a median $11,602 in federal loans versus $13,667 at Mt Hood Community College, a difference of $2,065. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.

Which graduates more of its students?

29% of students finish at Clatsop Community College, against 24% at Mt Hood 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.

Mt Hood Community College vs Clatsop Community College: frequently asked questions

Is Mt Hood Community College or Clatsop Community College a better value?
Mt Hood 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, Mt Hood Community College or Clatsop Community College?
Mt Hood Community College: $7,821/yr net price after aid versus $10,548/yr at Clatsop Community College — a difference of $2,727 a year, or about $5,454 over four years.
Do Mt Hood Community College or Clatsop Community College graduates earn more?
Mt Hood Community College graduates earn a median $41,125 ten years after entry, versus $39,477 at Clatsop Community College — a $1,648 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.