South Puget Sound Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
South Puget Sound Community College charges a net price of $9,132/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $18,264. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,039, 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, South Puget Sound Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #38 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) | $9,132/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $18,264 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,039 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,321/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$84,684 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on South Puget Sound Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,132 × 2 years = $18,264 total. Median earnings $45,039 fall $3,321 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 $18,264 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do South Puget Sound Community College students graduate with?
A median $11,000 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $45,039 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of South Puget Sound Community College students graduate?
44% finish their degree — 56% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $18,264 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $41,509 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is South Puget Sound Community College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $9,132 net price runs $2,895 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $5,789 less across the full degree.