Seattle Central College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Seattle Central College charges a net price of $8,819/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $17,638. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,307, 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, Seattle Central College does not clear its cost — it ranks #45 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) | $8,819/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $17,638 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,307 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,053/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$118,698 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Seattle Central College's own numbers. Net price $8,819 × 2 years = $17,638 total. Median earnings $43,307 fall $5,053 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 $17,638 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Seattle Central College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $43,307 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Seattle Central College students graduate?
32% finish their degree — 68% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $17,638 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $55,119 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Seattle Central College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $8,819 net price runs $3,208 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $6,415 less across the full degree.