Pierce College District — ROI, Cost & Payback
Pierce College District charges a net price of $10,222/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $20,444. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,532, 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, Pierce College District does not clear its cost — it ranks #33 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) | $10,222/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $20,444 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,532 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$828/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$37,004 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Pierce College District's own numbers. Net price $10,222 × 2 years = $20,444 total. Median earnings $47,532 fall $828 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 $20,444 bill in about 2.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Pierce College District students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $47,532 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Pierce College District students graduate?
31% finish their degree — 69% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,444 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $65,948 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Pierce College District expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $10,222 net price runs $1,805 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $3,609 less across the full degree.