Best Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Degrees in Washington by ROI
Colleges in Washington ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in Washington
27
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$265,566
Across Washington programs
Average Annual Cost
$16,980
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
South Seattle College
Grad rate: 29.9% |
+$5,806 | $43,840 | $15,497 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Highline College
Grad rate: 39.3% |
-$84,459 | $40,192 | $19,642 | $6,678 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
North Seattle College
Grad rate: 30.5% |
-$100,754 | $38,600 | $16,377 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Bellevue College
Grad rate: 32.4% |
-$136,033 | $37,826 | $19,798 | $9,598 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Northwest Indian College
Grad rate: 27.2% |
-$149,372 | $36,001 | $14,696 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Spokane Community College
Grad rate: 36.2% |
-$184,960 | $35,271 | $14,083 | $16,455 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Yakima Valley College
Grad rate: 30.0% |
-$211,743 | $33,915 | $19,374 | $8,367 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Everett Community College
Grad rate: 38.3% |
-$231,326 | $32,939 | $19,569 | $8,125 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Columbia Basin College
Grad rate: 28.0% |
-$238,114 | $31,830 | $17,357 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Tacoma Community College
Grad rate: 32.7% |
-$276,534 | $30,603 | $16,197 | $12,000 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Shoreline Community College
Grad rate: 30.8% |
-$279,866 | $30,457 | $18,499 | $8,895 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Grays Harbor College
Grad rate: 35.3% |
-$280,749 | $29,769 | $13,677 | $6,500 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Pierce College District
Grad rate: 34.8% |
-$298,210 | $29,533 | $17,048 | $10,944 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Spokane Falls Community College
Grad rate: 29.7% |
-$298,639 | $29,331 | $14,536 | $11,991 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Peninsula College
Grad rate: 41.1% |
-$303,070 | $28,832 | $13,974 | $8,713 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Degrees by State
Browse Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.