Peninsula College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Peninsula College charges a net price of $9,246/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $36,984. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,078, 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, Peninsula College does not clear its cost — it ranks #56 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) | $9,246/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $36,984 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,078 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,282/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $15,786 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$262,624 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Peninsula College's own numbers. Net price $9,246 × 4 years = $36,984 total. Median earnings $37,078 fall $11,282 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 $36,984 bill in about 3.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Peninsula College students graduate with?
A median $15,786 in federal loans among completers, or 43% of the $37,078 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Peninsula College students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $36,984 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $99,957 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Peninsula College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $9,246 net price runs $2,781 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $11,122 less across the full degree.