Northwest Career College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Northwest Career College charges a net price of $16,470/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $65,880. Median earnings ten years after entry are $27,530, 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, Northwest Career College does not clear its cost — it ranks #19 of 22 Nevada colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,470/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $65,880 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $27,530 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$20,830/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$482,480 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Northwest Career College's own numbers. Net price $16,470 × 4 years = $65,880 total. Median earnings $27,530 fall $20,830 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 $65,880 bill in about 6.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Northwest Career College students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 35% of the $27,530 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Northwest Career College students graduate?
68% finish their degree — 32% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $65,880 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $96,882 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Northwest Career College expensive compared with other Nevada colleges?
Its $16,470 net price runs $5,421 below the $21,891 median across the 22 Nevada colleges we profile, and $21,682 less across the full degree.