loading 6,000+ schools…
Lakewood, WA · Tacoma, WA
| Pierce College District | Tacoma Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $10,222/yr | $8,376/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,816/yr | $7,112/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $12,000 | $13,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $9,066/yr | $7,691/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $11,592/yr | $8,108/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $14,309/yr | $12,371/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $17,249/yr | $16,093/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $127/mo | $138/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $17,982/yr | No data reported |
| Room & board (off campus) | $17,310/yr | $17,310/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0.2% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,100/yr | $528/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,682/yr | No data reported |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $18,085/yr | $16,766/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $5,418/yr | $5,507/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $5,976/yr | $11,646/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 23% | 26% |
| Students taking federal loans | 11% | 12% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 31% | 32% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $47,532/yr | $47,168/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $24,229–$69,916 | $25,111–$71,927 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 43% | 36% |
| White students graduating | 31% | 39% |
| Black students graduating | 20% | 11% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 26% | 28% |
| Asian students graduating | 53% | 35% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $39,406/yr | $38,790/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 64% | 61% |
| Pell students who graduate | 29% | 27% |
| First-gen students who finish | 21% | 20% |
| Low-income students who finish | 18% | 19% |
| Students who transfer out | 20% | 20% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $44,552/yr | $44,369/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 62% · Business, Management & Marketing 11% · Health Professions 8% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 31% · Health Professions 26% · Business, Management & Marketing 21% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 62% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 31% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees | Health Professions — 26% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Health Professions — 8% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 21% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Education — 5% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 4% of degrees | Education — 4% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods — $55,849/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $82,447/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 7.5% | 12% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 5,313 | 4,668 |
| Students per professor | 13 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $9,325/mo | $10,325/mo |
| Full-time professors | 95% | 96% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Median family income | $26,392 | $21,692 |
| Setting | City (small) | City (midsize) |
| Location | Lakewood, WA | Tacoma, WA |
| Region | Far West | Far West |
| Founded | No data reported | 1965 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 2.8% | 4.4% |
| Men | 37% | 33% |
| Women | 63% | 67% |
| White students | 35% | 29% |
| Black students | 10% | 10% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 20% | 19% |
| Asian students | 7.4% | 8.8% |
| Two or more races | 11% | 13% |
| Other / not reported | 13% | 15% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 45% | 45% |
| Part-time students | 43% | 42% |
| Students age 25+ | 30% | 38% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $6,475/yr | $8,226/yr |
| Endowment | $4.0M | $6.1M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | No — no campus housing |
| Beds in campus housing | 64 | No data reported |
| Required to live on campus | No | No data reported |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $6,300/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Quarter | Quarter |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | No | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NWAC | NWAC |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 8 | 6 |
| Student athletes | 125 | 110 |
| Athletic scholarships | $152,006 | $156,108 |
| Athletics budget | $1.2M | $979,800 |
| Athletics revenue | $1.3M | $1.2M |
| Recruiting spend | $1,759 | $0 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.