Skagit Valley College
#3 Most Affordable Colleges in Washington- Graduation Rate
- 35% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $43,505 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $6,064 A
- 65% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 2,477
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 43.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $43.8 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Most Affordable Colleges in Washington.
Every $1 spent returns $43.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,038,315.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 35% — 39% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $43.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Skagit Valley College Matters
Skagit Valley College is a public community college in Mount Vernon, WA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 2,477
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Education, Business & Marketing
Why students choose Skagit Valley College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $6,064 a year after grants and scholarships — 65% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $43,505 ten years after enrolling — 7% above the typical college, against $13,805 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.4% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 56% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.12 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
At Skagit Valley College, you’ll find a community that’s all about practical skills and real-world applications. With around 2,477 students, it’s a place where individuals interested in fields like Humanities, Health Professions, Education, Business & Marketing, and Mechanic & Repair Tech can really dive into their studies. The college emphasizes hands-on learning, giving students a chance to engage with their chosen disciplines directly.
Looking at what happens after graduation, students can expect to earn about $43,505 a year ten years post-degree. That's a solid starting point for many, especially considering the affordability of education here. The net price after financial aid is about $6,064, making it accessible for a broad range of students. While only 21% of students receive Pell Grants, the college still manages to create pathways for many to advance in their careers.
When it comes to finances, the median debt stands at $13,805, which is relatively manageable compared to what many graduates face. This combination of reasonable costs and solid earning potential tends to attract students who are focused on building a career without being burdened by excessive debt. If you’re looking for a supportive environment where you can apply what you learn to your future career, Skagit Valley College could be a great fit.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Skagit Valley College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Skagit Valley College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Mount Vernon, Washington, Skagit Valley College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,052
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 17:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.69
- First-Gen Students
- 44%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Skagit Valley College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Skagit Valley College is $7,500, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,064. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,337 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $13,805 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,400
- Out-of-State
- $7,500
- Avg Net Price
- $6,064
- Median Debt
- $13,805
- Pell Grant Rate
- 21%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 5%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $4,337
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,476
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,109
- Family Income $110K+
- $14,102
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Skagit Valley College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Skagit Valley College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Skagit Valley College report median earnings of $43,505, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $36,892
- 8 Years
- $41,294
- 10 Years
- $43,505
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.32x
- Earning > $25K
- 54%
Earnings Trajectory
How Skagit Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Skagit Valley College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Skagit Valley College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,064/year ($24,256 total). Graduates earn $43,505 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,062,571 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,038,315 (43.8× your investment). The median debt is $13,805, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 35% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $24,256
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,062,571
- Net Return
- $1,038,315
- ROI Multiple
- 43.8×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,064
- Median Debt
- $13,805
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 35%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Skagit Valley College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Skagit Valley College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.37%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $69,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.37%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 12.2%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 11.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $94,426
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $50,913
Top Programs
The fields Skagit Valley College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 34%
- Health Professions 29% $68,105 early-career
- Education 12%
- Business & Marketing 7% $35,271 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 4% $42,857 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 2%
- Precision Production 2% $46,778 early-career
- Physical Sciences 2%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Skagit Valley College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Skagit Valley College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Mount Vernon, Washington, Skagit Valley College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Skagit Valley College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Skagit Valley College is $7,500, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,064. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,337 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $13,805 in federal student loans.
Is Skagit Valley College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Skagit Valley College report median earnings of $43,505, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Skagit Valley College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Skagit Valley College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.37%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $69,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Skagit Valley College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Skagit Valley College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.12, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Skagit Valley College.
- Indiana University-NorthwestGary, IN · Close peer37% grad $43,361 earn 73% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- East Central UniversityAda, OK · Close peer34% grad $44,962 earn 58% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Walla Walla Community CollegeWalla Walla, WA · Close peer43% grad $43,526 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Laramie County Community CollegeCheyenne, WY · Close peer35% grad $44,783 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Louisiana State University-ShreveportShreveport, LA · Close peer35% grad $47,477 earn 51% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- South Seattle CollegeSeattle, WA · Close peer29% grad $44,486 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Skagit Valley College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Skagit Valley College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.12, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note