Alaska Pacific University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Alaska Pacific University charges a net price of $21,616/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $43,232. Graduates earn a median $54,271 ten years after entry, $5,911/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 7.3 years — a 20-year net return of $74,988, a solid payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Alaska Pacific University's 7.3-year payback ranks #647 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 50% of them, and #1 of 6 in Alaska.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $21,616/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $43,232 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $54,271 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $5,911/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $23,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 7.3 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $74,988 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 2 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.