DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
Home›Colleges›Central Washington University
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF

Central Washington University

⌖ Ellensburg, WA · 49 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$86,464 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.

15.2 yrsModeled economic break-even
−34%Modeled 10-year ROI
$61,744Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$86,464at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$253,9040
2
4
6
8
−$86,46410
Years after graduationBreak-even: 15.2 years
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.

Published in-state tuition$9,417
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$27,526
Sticker price
Average net price$18,476
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$28,816
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$18,476Average net price / year
$28,816Cost of attendance
$61,744Median earnings · year 5 after completion
53.6%Completion rate
90.6%Admission rate
7,833Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

82thEarnings percentile
43thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$43,326Year 1
$63,444Year 4
$61,744Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's Degree$97,8692Construction Management · Bachelor's Degree$97,6513Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Bachelor's Degree$97,2634Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$95,3685Economics · Bachelor's Degree$88,7996Computer and Information Sciences, General · Master's Degree$85,8177Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's Degree$84,8718Educational Administration and Supervision · Master's Degree$81,827

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

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.

Bellingham, WA

Western Washington University

Annual net price
$21,193
Observed earnings · year 5
$58,459
Modeled 10-year ROI
-49%
Open college profile →Cheney, WA

Eastern Washington University

Annual net price
$13,886
Observed earnings · year 5
$59,344
Modeled 10-year ROI
-39%
Open college profile →Bellevue, WA

Bellevue College

Annual net price
$11,430
Observed earnings · year 5
$59,260
Modeled 10-year ROI
-37%
Open college profile →Bothell, WA

Cascadia College

Annual net price
$12,281
Observed earnings · year 5
$56,170
Modeled 10-year ROI
-51%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree$97,869$25,833
Construction ManagementBachelor's Degree$97,651$26,999
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsBachelor's Degree$97,263Not available
Computer ScienceBachelor's Degree$95,368$19,467
EconomicsBachelor's Degree$88,799$15,000
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralMaster's Degree$85,817Not available
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree$84,871$22,380
Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's Degree$81,827Not available
MusicMaster's Degree$79,115Not available
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, GeneralMaster's Degree$75,999Not available
ChemistryBachelor's Degree$75,905$24,607
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's Degree$75,017Not available
Air TransportationBachelor's Degree$74,997$19,500
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$74,442$17,650
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$73,036$20,000
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$72,838$24,408
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessMaster's Degree$69,174Not available
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationBachelor's Degree$66,538$23,342
Apparel and TextilesBachelor's Degree$65,815$19,444
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$64,361$16,936
SociologyBachelor's Degree$63,608$25,000
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchMaster's Degree$62,984Not available
Public HealthBachelor's Degree$62,435$20,326
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's Degree$61,604$23,377
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's Degree$60,761$21,954
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$60,506$20,500
Physiology, Pathology and Related SciencesBachelor's Degree$60,299$20,500
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$59,659$20,205
Social Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$58,680$26,181
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$56,862$18,572
Nutrition SciencesBachelor's Degree$56,735$23,285
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$56,154$25,790
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$54,858$21,000
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$54,530$19,500
Human Services, GeneralBachelor's Degree$54,318$19,893
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesBachelor's Degree$53,987Not available
Geography and CartographyBachelor's Degree$53,081Not available
MusicBachelor's Degree$51,008$26,000
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree$50,776$20,000
Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationBachelor's Degree$50,318$22,975
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$47,979$17,848
HistoryBachelor's Degree$45,990$25,250
Film/Video and Photographic ArtsBachelor's Degree$45,152$23,000
AnthropologyBachelor's Degree$44,089$22,500
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities ManagementBachelor's Degree$43,480$23,333
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$43,101Not available
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesBachelor's Degree$41,971$23,224
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$40,251$25,000
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's Degree$33,800$24,752

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.