Polaris Career Center vs Auburn Career Center: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Polaris Career Center comes closer — median earnings $38,718 against a $39,724 total, vs $37,032 at Auburn Career Center. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Polaris Career Center | Auburn Career Center |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,931 | $12,051 |
| Total net cost | $39,724 | $48,204 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,718 | $37,032 |
| Median debt | $6,365 | $6,365 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$232,564 | -$274,764 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Polaris Career Center or Auburn Career Center?
Polaris Career Center, at $9,931 a year after aid versus $12,051 — a gap of $2,120 a year, or $8,480 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Polaris Career Center or Auburn Career Center graduates earn more?
Polaris Career Center graduates report a median $38,718 ten years after entry, $1,686 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, Polaris Career Center or Auburn Career Center?
Completers at both borrow a median $6,365, 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?
77% of students finish at Polaris Career Center, against 69% at Auburn Career Center. 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.