South Puget Sound Community College vs Clover Park Technical College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but South Puget Sound Community College comes closer — median earnings $45,039 against a $18,264 total, vs $41,787 at Clover Park Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | South Puget Sound Community College | Clover Park Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,132 | $9,864 |
| Total net cost | $18,264 | $39,456 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,039 | $41,787 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $12,112 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$84,684 | -$170,916 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, South Puget Sound Community College or Clover Park Technical College?
South Puget Sound Community College, at $9,132 a year after aid versus $9,864 — a gap of $732 a year, or $21,192 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do South Puget Sound Community College or Clover Park Technical College graduates earn more?
South Puget Sound Community College graduates report a median $45,039 ten years after entry, $3,252 more than the $41,787 at Clover Park Technical 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, South Puget Sound Community College or Clover Park Technical College?
South Puget Sound Community College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $12,112 at Clover Park Technical College, a difference of $1,112. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
44% of students finish at South Puget Sound Community College, against 43% at Clover Park Technical 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.