The Evergreen State College — ROI, Cost & Payback
The Evergreen State College charges a net price of $24,319/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $97,276. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,320, 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, The Evergreen State College does not clear its cost — it ranks #50 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) | $24,319/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $97,276 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,320 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,040/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $20,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$158,076 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on The Evergreen State College's own numbers. Net price $24,319 × 4 years = $97,276 total. Median earnings $45,320 fall $3,040 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 $97,276 bill in about 9.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do The Evergreen State College students graduate with?
A median $20,500 in federal loans among completers, or 45% of the $45,320 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of The Evergreen State College students graduate?
41% finish their degree — 59% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $97,276 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $237,259 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is The Evergreen State College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $24,319 net price runs $12,293 above the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, or $49,170 more across the full degree.