Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in Washington by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in Washington ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Washington

182

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$7,876

Across all Washington programs

Average Annual Cost

$17,604

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Bellingham Technical College Grad rate: 37.7%	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies.	+$1,535,270	$120,252	$14,885	N/A	Full ROI →
2	Renton Technical College Grad rate: 57.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$816,000	$85,561	$15,067	$18,582	Full ROI →
3	Seattle Central College Grad rate: 28.3%	Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General.	+$748,857	$81,829	$15,104	$12,974	Full ROI →
4	Shoreline Community College Grad rate: 30.8%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$704,634	$80,921	$18,499	$27,250	Full ROI →
5	Olympic College Grad rate: 32.6%	Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians.	+$702,578	$79,131	$15,380	$6,875	Full ROI →
6	North Seattle College Grad rate: 30.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$684,566	$77,866	$16,377	N/A	Full ROI →
7	Lake Washington Institute of Technology Grad rate: 41.9%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$651,978	$76,134	$15,351	N/A	Full ROI →
8	Shoreline Community College Grad rate: 30.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$593,491	$74,627	$18,499	$16,334	Full ROI →
9	Bellingham Technical College Grad rate: 37.7%	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians.	+$589,350	$72,956	$14,885	N/A	Full ROI →
10	Everett Community College Grad rate: 38.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$578,632	$74,171	$19,569	$19,000	Full ROI →
11	Clark College Grad rate: 37.5%	Physical Sciences.	+$565,110	$72,004	$17,485	N/A	Full ROI →
12	Columbia Basin College Grad rate: 28.0%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$559,786	$71,725	$17,357	N/A	Full ROI →
13	Clark College Grad rate: 37.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$557,437	$72,393	$17,485	$11,446	Full ROI →
14	Bellevue College Grad rate: 32.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$543,828	$72,329	$19,798	$17,152	Full ROI →
15	Lower Columbia College Grad rate: 25.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$531,954	$71,562	$16,748	$19,103	Full ROI →
16	Cascadia College Grad rate: 38.5%	Business/Commerce, General.	+$528,304	$70,421	$20,058	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Grays Harbor College Grad rate: 35.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$507,167	$69,993	$13,677	$18,769	Full ROI →
18	Yakima Valley College Grad rate: 30.0%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$507,132	$69,294	$19,374	N/A	Full ROI →
19	Columbia Basin College Grad rate: 28.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$504,167	$69,792	$17,357	$12,562	Full ROI →
20	Highline College Grad rate: 39.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$498,106	$69,747	$19,642	$13,000	Full ROI →
21	Bellingham Technical College Grad rate: 37.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$494,110	$68,194	$14,885	N/A	Full ROI →
22	Lake Washington Institute of Technology Grad rate: 41.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$492,668	$69,181	$15,351	$15,000	Full ROI →
23	Yakima Valley College Grad rate: 30.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$483,088	$69,299	$19,374	$17,884	Full ROI →
24	Centralia College Grad rate: 44.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$478,680	$67,689	$17,550	N/A	Full ROI →
25	Tacoma Community College Grad rate: 32.7%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$470,901	$68,559	$16,197	$20,655	Full ROI →
26	Spokane Community College Grad rate: 36.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$470,501	$68,670	$14,083	$25,728	Full ROI →
27	Olympic College Grad rate: 32.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$437,440	$66,760	$15,380	$20,000	Full ROI →
28	Lake Washington Institute of Technology Grad rate: 41.9%	Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications.	+$423,818	$64,726	$15,351	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Wenatchee Valley College Grad rate: 38.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$418,282	$66,099	$20,346	$17,041	Full ROI →
30	Everett Community College Grad rate: 38.3%	Business/Commerce, General.	+$402,642	$64,089	$19,569	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Pima Medical Institute-Seattle Grad rate: 51.6%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$400,119	$67,419	$32,193	$32,500	Full ROI →
32	Peninsula College Grad rate: 41.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$386,064	$63,831	$13,974	$16,746	Full ROI →
33	Bellevue College Grad rate: 32.4%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$384,325	$64,546	$19,798	$19,999	Full ROI →
34	Pierce College District Grad rate: 34.8%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$379,644	$62,687	$17,048	N/A	Full ROI →
35	Spokane Community College Grad rate: 36.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$358,886	$62,715	$14,083	$20,183	Full ROI →
36	Walla Walla Community College Grad rate: 45.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$355,436	$62,922	$17,580	$20,625	Full ROI →
37	Tacoma Community College Grad rate: 32.7%	Physical Sciences.	+$332,046	$60,222	$16,197	N/A	Full ROI →
38	Skagit Valley College Grad rate: 33.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$329,939	$61,234	$14,326	$19,325	Full ROI →
39	Walla Walla Community College Grad rate: 45.4%	Agricultural Mechanization.	+$270,160	$57,266	$17,580	N/A	Full ROI →
40	Tacoma Community College Grad rate: 32.7%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$263,489	$58,024	$16,197	$18,220	Full ROI →
41	Tacoma Community College Grad rate: 32.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$261,076	$57,956	$16,197	$19,000	Full ROI →
42	Bellingham Technical College Grad rate: 37.7%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$258,610	$56,419	$14,885	N/A	Full ROI →
43	Lake Washington Institute of Technology Grad rate: 41.9%	Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$251,458	$56,108	$15,351	N/A	Full ROI →
44	Pierce College District Grad rate: 34.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$241,244	$55,767	$17,048	N/A	Full ROI →
45	South Puget Sound Community College Grad rate: 43.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$226,647	$56,345	$17,864	$18,166	Full ROI →
46	Clover Park Technical College Grad rate: 42.9%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$224,392	$54,617	$13,974	N/A	Full ROI →
47	Pima Medical Institute-Seattle Grad rate: 51.6%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$207,638	$57,637	$32,193	$30,160	Full ROI →
48	Clark College Grad rate: 37.5%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$206,690	$54,083	$17,485	N/A	Full ROI →
49	Pima Medical Institute-Renton Grad rate: 57.4%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$203,438	$57,637	$34,293	$30,160	Full ROI →
50	Whatcom Community College Grad rate: 39.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$199,963	$55,012	$18,173	$17,726	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.