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Centralia College

Public Centralia, WA · Town · Far West · 67% data
B Value B Affordability C+ Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
44% D+
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$43,140 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$9,862 B
42% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,552
Earnings +6% vs avg
Graduation -23% vs avg
Net Price +-42% vs avg
Mobility Top 41%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 27.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $27.3 over 20 years.

27.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $27.3 over 20 years. Net gain: $1,039,087.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduation of 44% — 23% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $27.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About Centralia College

Centralia College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
1,552
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Construction Trades, Health Professions, Business & Marketing

Why students choose Centralia College

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community
Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 39% overall
C+
Earnings
$43,140 median
B
Value
4.4× net price
B
Affordability
$9,862/yr net
D+
Graduation
44% graduate
C+
Social Mobility
1.7% climb Q1→Q5
C+
Diversity
0.62 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Centralia College is a solid choice for students looking for a supportive environment to pursue degrees in fields like Humanities, Health Professions, Construction Trades, Education, and Business & Marketing. With an enrollment of around 1,552 students, it offers a close-knit atmosphere that fosters personal connections and hands-on learning. The emphasis on practical skills and career readiness stands out, making it a great fit for those who prefer a more focused educational experience.

When it comes to what happens after graduation, students from Centralia College can expect to earn a median income of $43,140 ten years after completing their studies. While the graduation rate is 44%, this figure suggests that many who do complete their programs are finding their footing in the workforce. Affordability is another bright spot; the net price for students after financial aid is about $9,862, which means that with careful planning, many can manage their educational expenses without excessive debt.

In terms of who tends to thrive here, the college attracts individuals who value community and hands-on learning. The 27% of students who receive Pell Grants indicate a commitment to supporting those who may need financial assistance. Overall, Centralia College stands out as a practical option for students looking for a pathway to stable careers, with manageable costs that allow them to focus on their futures without being overwhelmed by debt.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Centralia College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Centralia College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Centralia, Washington, Centralia College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 44%.

Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$9,395
Student–Faculty Ratio
14:1
Diversity Index
0.62
First-Gen Students
47%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Centralia College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Centralia College is $5,651, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $9,862. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,471 after need-based grants.

In-State Tuition
$5,266
Out-of-State
$5,651
Avg Net Price
$9,862
Pell Grant Rate
27%
Federal Loan Rate
0%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$8,471
Family Income $30K–$48K
$9,395
Family Income $48K–$75K
$12,021

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Centralia College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Centralia College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Centralia College report median earnings of $43,140, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$35,989
8 Years
$37,195
10 Years
$43,140
Earning > $25K
47%

Earnings Trajectory

$35,989 6yr $37,195 8yr $43,140 10yr

How Centralia Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation44%Earnings 10yr$43KNet Price$10KPell Grant Rate27%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$8K$0-30K$9K$30-48K$12K$48-75K

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%13.7%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%12.1%MOBILITY1.66%

College ROI Calculator

Is Centralia College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Centralia College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,862/year ($39,448 total). Graduates earn $43,140 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,078,535 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,039,087 (27.3× your investment).. With a 44% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$39,448
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,078,535
Net Return
$1,039,087
ROI Multiple
27.3×
Cost Per Year
$9,862
Graduation Rate
44%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Centralia College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Centralia College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.66%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13.7% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.66%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
12.1%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
13.7%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$90,078
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Centralia College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Centralia College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.94, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.94
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.04
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
7.3%
Support Ratio
0.99
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$1,341,513
Investment Income
$-295,716

Top Programs

The fields Centralia College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Centralia College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Centralia, Washington, Centralia College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 44%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Centralia College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Centralia College is $5,651, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $9,862. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,471 after need-based grants.

Is Centralia College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Centralia College report median earnings of $43,140, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Centralia College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Centralia College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.66%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13.7% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Centralia College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Centralia College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.94, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Centralia College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys