Washtenaw Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Washtenaw Community College charges a net price of $3,249/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $12,996. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,449, 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, Washtenaw Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #45 of 85 Michigan colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $3,249/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $12,996 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,449 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,911/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,310 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$191,216 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Washtenaw Community College's own numbers. Net price $3,249 × 4 years = $12,996 total. Median earnings $39,449 fall $8,911 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 $12,996 bill in about 1.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Washtenaw Community College students graduate with?
A median $13,310 in federal loans among completers, or 34% of the $39,449 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Washtenaw Community College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $12,996 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $39,382 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Washtenaw Community College expensive compared with other Michigan colleges?
Its $3,249 net price runs $11,052 below the $14,301 median across the 85 Michigan colleges we profile, and $44,208 less across the full degree.