Pierce College District is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Lakewood, Washington. It enrolls 5,313 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic CalendarQuarter
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
64/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes34
Value73
Affordability42
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Pierce College District.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Pierce College District isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $10,222 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$10,222
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
23%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
11%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,418
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$5,976
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,982
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,310
Books & Supplies
$1,100
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,682
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,804
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,085
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$7,816
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,066
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,592
$75,001 – $110,000
$14,309
Over $110,000
$17,249
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,83410%percentile
$3,29425%percentile
$12,000Medianpercentile
$12,12575%percentile
$19,84190%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,500
↓ $2,500
No Pell $6,500
↓ $5,500
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $6,500
Independent students $9,500
↓ $2,500
Female students $8,946
↓ $3,054
Male students $7,451
↓ $4,549
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,250, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
21% of full-time students who enrolled at Pierce College District graduate within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
21%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Pierce College District earn a median of $47,532 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$47,532
Earning > $25K
70%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$36,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$45,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$35,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$41,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$50,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,700, about 19% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
31.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 81% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Pierce College District is home to 5,313 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 45% are first-generation college students, 43% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
5,313
Part-Time
43%
First-Generation
45%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 34.6%1,839
Hispanic 20.2%1,071
Other 13.2%700
Black 10.4%552
Asian 7.4%391
International 2.8%150
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Pierce College District. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityLakewood, Washington
Housing
Limited on-campus housing64 beds
Adult Learners
30%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Pierce College District offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
41 distinct programs across
12 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Pierce College District is 20:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,396
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$4.6M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$81,091
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
133 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
133
100%
$81,091
Pros & Cons of Pierce College District
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Pierce College District tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Pierce College District is a fit for
working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pierce College District
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Pierce College District.
How much does Pierce College District cost?
The average net price after aid at Pierce College District is $10,222 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Pierce College District worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $47,532 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $10,222 per year. That's roughly 4.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Pierce College District known for?
Pierce College District is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Pierce College District graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Pierce College District are $47,532, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Pierce College District accredited?
Yes. Pierce College District is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Pierce College District?
Pierce College District enrolls 5,313 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Pierce College District?
Pierce College District graduates 21% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Pierce College District a public or private college?
Pierce College District is a Public institution.
Where is Pierce College District located?
Pierce College District is located in Lakewood, Washington.
What programs does Pierce College District offer?
Pierce College District offers 41 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Pierce College District?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Pierce College District is 20:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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