Clark College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Clark College charges a net price of $11,465/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $22,930. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,356, 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, Clark College does not clear its cost — it ranks #49 of 64 Washington colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $11,465/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $22,930 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,356 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,004/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,881 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$143,010 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Clark College's own numbers. Net price $11,465 × 2 years = $22,930 total. Median earnings $42,356 fall $6,004 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 $22,930 bill in about 2.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Clark College students graduate with?
A median $10,881 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $42,356 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Clark College students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $22,930 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $58,795 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Clark College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $11,465 net price runs $562 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $1,123 less across the full degree.