10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$134,674at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Tacoma Community College
⌖ Tacoma, WA · 16 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$134,674 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
27.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
−63%Modeled 10-year ROI
$52,883Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$8,376Average net price / year
$16,766Cost of attendance
$52,883Median earnings · year 5 after completion
31.5%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
4,668Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$44,979Year 1
$55,189Year 4
$52,883Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Associate's Degree$92,8442Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Associate's Degree$81,8593Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services · Associate's Degree$76,5314Mechanical Engineering · Associate's Degree$74,7275Business/Commerce, General · Associate's Degree$65,1306Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications · Associate's Degree$58,5887Legal Support Services · Associate's Degree$53,3048Human Services, General · Associate's Degree$53,029Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in WA
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Seattle, WA
Seattle Central College
- Annual net price
- $8,819
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $53,515
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -60%
Columbia Basin College
- Annual net price
- $8,317
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $53,951
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -58%
Lower Columbia College
- Annual net price
- $7,630
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,501
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -64%
Olympic College
- Annual net price
- $7,172
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $54,056
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -57%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's Degree | $92,844 | $19,000 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Associate's Degree | $81,859 | $20,655 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Associate's Degree | $76,531 | $18,220 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's Degree | $74,727 | Not available |
| Business/Commerce, General | Associate's Degree | $65,130 | $11,500 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | Associate's Degree | $58,588 | $10,759 |
| Legal Support Services | Associate's Degree | $53,304 | $12,071 |
| Human Services, General | Associate's Degree | $53,029 | $17,367 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $50,865 | $15,412 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's Degree | $48,647 | $12,000 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Associate's Degree | $47,504 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's Degree | $45,721 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $45,663 | $11,054 |
| Legal Support Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Not available | $17,629 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Not available | $10,937 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's Degree | Not available | $16,084 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.