Yakima Valley College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Yakima Valley College charges a net price of $11,843/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $23,686. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,499, 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, Yakima Valley College does not clear its cost — it ranks #46 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) | $11,843/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $23,686 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,499 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,861/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,966 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$120,906 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Yakima Valley College's own numbers. Net price $11,843 × 2 years = $23,686 total. Median earnings $43,499 fall $4,861 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 $23,686 bill in about 2.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Yakima Valley College students graduate with?
A median $13,966 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $43,499 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Yakima Valley College students graduate?
29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $23,686 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $81,676 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Yakima Valley College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $11,843 net price runs $184 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $367 less across the full degree.