Charter College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Charter College charges a net price of $34,860/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $139,440. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,504, 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, Charter College does not clear its cost — it ranks #6 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) | $34,860/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $139,440 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,504 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,856/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,176 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$396,560 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Charter College's own numbers. Net price $34,860 × 4 years = $139,440 total. Median earnings $35,504 fall $12,856 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 $139,440 bill in about 13.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Charter College students graduate with?
A median $14,176 in federal loans among completers, or 40% of the $35,504 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Charter College students graduate?
56% finish their degree — 44% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $139,440 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $249,000 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Charter College expensive compared with other Alaska colleges?
Its $34,860 net price runs $17,135 above the $17,726 median across the 6 Alaska colleges we profile, or $68,538 more across the full degree.