Pierce College District
Pierce College District is a public community college in Lakewood, Washington, serving roughly 5,313 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. In-state tuition starts near $5,418 per year before fees and aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $5,418
- 2024 Average Net Price: $10,222 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 5,313 57.2% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 30.77%
Pierce College District: what the data shows
Common questions about Pierce College District, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Pierce College District?
Pierce College District is located in Lakewood, WA (ZIP 98498-1999).
NCES locale classification: Town.
Is Pierce College District public or private?
Pierce College District is a Public institution.
How much does Pierce College District cost?
Published tuition: $5,418 in-state, $5,976 out-of-state.
Average net price after aid: $10,222.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $7,816 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $9,066 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $11,592 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $14,309 |
| $110,001+ | $17,249 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $21,672.
How big is Pierce College District?
Total enrollment: 5,313 students.
About 57% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Pierce College District?
150%-time completion rate: 30.77%.
What do graduates of Pierce College District earn?
Median earnings: $39,406 six years after entry; $47,532 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $12,000.
22.59% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Pierce College District known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Other/Unknown Programs (1,822 completions)
- Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,128 completions)
- Business Administration, Management, & Operations (96 completions)
- Early Childhood Education & Teaching (75 completions)
- Criminal Justice & Corrections (54 completions)
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research (46 completions)
- CIP 400101 (41 completions)
- CIP 110803 (40 completions)
- CIP 520201 (40 completions)
- CIP 520302 (31 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Pierce College District a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 30.77%; median earnings $47,532 at 10 years; net price $10,222. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Costs
Tuition Costs
$5,418
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Pierce College District was $5,418.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$10,222
2024 Value
In 2024 Pierce College District had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $10,222.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$40,888 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$10,222 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$21,672 4-Year In-State Tuition
$23,904 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional.
4-year total cost breakdown for Pierce College District.
Financial Aid by Income Level
22.59% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
11.43% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.20%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Pierce College District was 0.20%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Pierce College District in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $3,777 | $8,967 | $7,137 |
| 2014 | $3,777 | $8,967 | $6,804 |
| 2015 | $3,643 | $8,981 | $6,762 |
| 2016 | $3,648 | $4,056 | $7,182 |
| 2017 | $3,783 | $4,197 | $6,182 |
| 2018 | $3,862 | $4,290 | $7,293 |
| 2019 | $4,041 | $4,483 | $8,926 |
| 2020 | $4,173 | $4,627 | $8,939 |
| 2021 | $4,356 | $4,818 | $6,861 |
| 2022 | $4,539 | $4,902 | $7,974 |
| 2023 | $4,686 | $5,211 | $10,123 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
57.2% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Pierce College District in 2024 is 5,313 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
N/A%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
0.00% 100% Completion Time
30.77% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 0.00% of students graduating from Pierce College District completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Pierce College District.
Return on Investment
$12,000 Median Student Debt
$47,532 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
25.25% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
1062.49% Return on Investment
2.5 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Pierce College District.
Top Programs by Completions
10 Programs Reporting Data
Liberal Arts & Sciences: 1,128 completions
Business Administration, Management, & Operations: 96 completions
Early Childhood Education & Teaching: 75 completions
Criminal Justice & Corrections: 54 completions
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research: 46 completions
CIP 40.0101: 41 completions
CIP 11.0803: 40 completions
CIP 52.0201: 40 completions
CIP 52.0302: 31 completions
Other/Unknown Programs: 1,822 completions
Most popular programs at Pierce College District.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Pierce College District graduates.
About
Pierce College District is a public institution located in Lakewood, WA, offering 39 distinct degree programs across various academic disciplines. The institution enrolls approximately 5,313 students. The institution maintains a 30.77% graduation rate. Approximately 22.59% of students receive Pell Grants.
Institution Type
Public
Location
Lakewood, WA 98498-1999
Region: Far West
Insights and Analysis
Graduation Rate Considerations: The 30.77% graduation rate at Pierce College District falls below the national average. Prospective students should carefully consider factors such as academic preparation, support services, and career outcomes when evaluating this institution.
FAQ
How much does Pierce College District cost?
Reported in-state tuition is $5,418 and average net price is $10,222 in the latest College Scorecard data.
What do graduates of Pierce College District earn?
Median earnings are $39,406 six years after entry and $47,532 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Pierce College District?
The 150%-time completion rate is 30.8% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Pierce College District students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $12,000.
How big is Pierce College District?
Total enrollment is about 5,313 students in the latest reporting year.
Is Pierce College District public or private?
Pierce College District is a public institution located in Lakewood, WA.
Is Pierce College District an HBCU?
No. Pierce College District is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Pierce College District a tribal college?
No. Pierce College District is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Pierce College District a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Pierce College District does not meet that proxy (reported share 20.2%).
Is Pierce College District religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Pierce College District in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.