Olympic College
Olympic College — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Olympic College at a Glance
Olympic College is a public community college in Bremerton, Washington, United States. It opened as Olympic Junior College in 1946. Olympic College serves Kitsap and Mason counties in Washington. The college's service area contains two major naval installations, Naval Base Kitsap and Naval Hospital Bremerton.
1946
80 years old
12,825
Identity
Is Olympic College Worth It?
Olympic College offers moderate value at $7,172/year net price. Graduates earn a median of $43,169, which is 20% below average — meaning the financial payoff takes longer than typical. Students should research specific program outcomes before committing.
The investment pays for itself in just 0.7 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
A 33% graduation rate is a serious red flag — fewer than 3 in 10 students finish. Those who don't graduate may still carry student debt without the higher-earning credential to show for it.
How Olympic College compares to peer public colleges of similar tier in WA
Ranked #49 of 231 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | South Florida State College | 100 | $3,877 | $39,990 |
| #2 | Indiana University-Kokomo | 100 | $3,968 | $49,917 |
| #3 | Brazosport College | 100 | $4,732 | $45,910 |
| #4 | College of the Mainland | 100 | $1,342 | $39,639 |
| #5 | Florida Gateway College | 97 | $5,364 | $37,894 |
| #6 | West Virginia University at Parkersburg | 97 | $1,807 | $35,171 |
| #49 | Olympic College | 49 | $7,172 | $43,169 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of Olympic College's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 28 in WA.
Best Programs at Olympic College
Program-level earnings data isn't available for Olympic College. When evaluating whether to attend, research outcomes for your specific major using the Department of Education's College Scorecard or ask the admissions office for placement rates.
As a general rule: STEM, nursing, accounting, and computer science programs tend to deliver the strongest ROI regardless of institution. Humanities and arts programs can still be worthwhile, but require more intentional career planning to achieve financial payoff.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $7,172/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Similar Colleges in WA
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Bremerton, WA
- Student Body
- 3,826 students
- Graduation Rate
- 33%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $7,172
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $43,169
- Median Student Debt
- $12,000