Northwest Indian College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Northwest Indian College charges a net price of $3,136/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $6,272. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,447, 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 Indian College does not clear its cost — it ranks #57 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) | $3,136/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $6,272 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,447 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,913/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$264,532 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Northwest Indian College's own numbers. Net price $3,136 × 2 years = $6,272 total. Median earnings $35,447 fall $12,913 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 $6,272 bill in about 0.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Northwest Indian College students graduate?
18% finish their degree — 82% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $6,272 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $34,844 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Northwest Indian College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $3,136 net price runs $8,891 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $17,781 less across the full degree.