North Seattle College — ROI, Cost & Payback
North Seattle College charges a net price of $10,740/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $42,960. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,728, 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, North Seattle College does not clear its cost — it ranks #36 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) | $10,740/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $42,960 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,728 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$632/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $15,458 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$55,600 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on North Seattle College's own numbers. Net price $10,740 × 4 years = $42,960 total. Median earnings $47,728 fall $632 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 $42,960 bill in about 4.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do North Seattle College students graduate with?
A median $15,458 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $47,728 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of North Seattle College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $42,960 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $130,182 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is North Seattle College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $10,740 net price runs $1,287 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $5,146 less across the full degree.