Pierce College District

Lakewood, WA 5,313 Undergrads 41.8% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$18,085

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$10,222

After Aid

Median Earnings

$53,333

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,222

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$53,333

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate41.8%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients29.7%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time57.2%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS64.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

100.0%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$565k

+$49k

+$81k

Median Cost$10k/yr

+$546k

+$31k

+$62k

Full Cost$18k/yr

+$532k

+$16k

+$47k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$10k/yr

329%

Full Cost$18k/yr

143%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return375%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return42%

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

CertCIP: 5204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $32,681

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$32,569

Natl Median: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

-$133k

Business/Commerce, General

AssocCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$60,524

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

+$119k

Computer Software and Media Applications

AssocCIP: 1108

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,737

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications

AssocCIP: 1109

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$58,983

Natl Median: $55,189

Lifetime Value Added

+$105k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$56,859

Natl Median: $45,870

Lifetime Value Added

+$85k

Health and Medical Administrative Services

AssocCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$38,702

Natl Median: $37,934

Lifetime Value Added

-$91k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$10,217

Earnings (5yr)

$42,890

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$50k

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$25,309

Natl Median: $40,097

Lifetime Value Added

-$226k

Physical Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 4001

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$57,260

Natl Median: $49,076

Lifetime Value Added

+$89k

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$78,911

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$283k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

AssocCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$25,194

Natl Median: $37,656

Lifetime Value Added

-$212k

Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 0183

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,460

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

BachCIP: 5106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $68,061

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.