Pacific Northwest College of Art — ROI, Cost & Payback
Pacific Northwest College of Art charges a net price of $35,785/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $143,140. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,883, 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, Pacific Northwest College of Art does not clear its cost — it ranks #37 of 38 Oregon colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $35,785/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $143,140 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,883 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,477/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$412,680 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Pacific Northwest College of Art's own numbers. Net price $35,785 × 4 years = $143,140 total. Median earnings $34,883 fall $13,477 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 $143,140 bill in about 14.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Pacific Northwest College of Art students graduate with?
A median $25,000 in federal loans among completers, or 72% of the $34,883 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Pacific Northwest College of Art students graduate?
29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $143,140 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $493,586 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Pacific Northwest College of Art expensive compared with other Oregon colleges?
Its $35,785 net price runs $18,845 above the $16,940 median across the 38 Oregon colleges we profile, or $75,380 more across the full degree.