Wenatchee Valley College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Wenatchee Valley College charges a net price of $9,722/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $19,444. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,127, 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, Wenatchee Valley College does not clear its cost — it ranks #52 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) | $9,722/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $19,444 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,127 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,233/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,332 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$164,104 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Wenatchee Valley College's own numbers. Net price $9,722 × 2 years = $19,444 total. Median earnings $41,127 fall $7,233 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 $19,444 bill in about 1.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Wenatchee Valley College students graduate with?
A median $10,332 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $41,127 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Wenatchee Valley College students graduate?
43% finish their degree — 57% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $19,444 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $45,219 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Wenatchee Valley College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $9,722 net price runs $2,305 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $4,609 less across the full degree.