Alaska Career College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Alaska Career College charges a net price of $20,150/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $80,600. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,468, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Alaska Career College does not clear its cost — it ranks #5 of 6 Alaska colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $20,150/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $80,600 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,468 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,892/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,377 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$358,440 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Alaska Career College's own numbers. Net price $20,150 × 4 years = $80,600 total. Median earnings $34,468 fall $13,892 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $80,600 bill in about 8.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Alaska Career College students graduate with?
A median $7,377 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $34,468 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Alaska Career College students graduate?
69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $80,600 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $116,812 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Alaska Career College expensive compared with other Alaska colleges?
Its $20,150 net price runs $2,425 above the $17,726 median across the 6 Alaska colleges we profile, or $9,698 more across the full degree.