Spokane Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Spokane Community College charges a net price of $5,473/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,946. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,984, 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, Spokane Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #48 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) | $5,473/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,946 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,984 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,376/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,501 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$138,466 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Spokane Community College's own numbers. Net price $5,473 × 2 years = $10,946 total. Median earnings $41,984 fall $6,376 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 $10,946 bill in about 1.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Spokane Community College students graduate with?
A median $13,501 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $41,984 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Spokane Community College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,946 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $33,170 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Spokane Community College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $5,473 net price runs $6,554 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $13,107 less across the full degree.