UEI College-Tacoma — ROI, Cost & Payback
UEI College-Tacoma charges a net price of $36,850/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $147,400. Median earnings ten years after entry are $30,848, 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, UEI College-Tacoma does not clear its cost — it ranks #62 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) | $36,850/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $147,400 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $30,848 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$17,512/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$497,640 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on UEI College-Tacoma's own numbers. Net price $36,850 × 4 years = $147,400 total. Median earnings $30,848 fall $17,512 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 $147,400 bill in about 14.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do UEI College-Tacoma students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 31% of the $30,848 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of UEI College-Tacoma students graduate?
58% finish their degree — 42% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $147,400 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $254,138 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is UEI College-Tacoma expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $36,850 net price runs $24,824 above the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, or $99,294 more across the full degree.