Cost advantage
Affordable two-year option
Tuition in the low range for community colleges.
Source: IPEDS 2024
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Community College public Verified data
South Puget Sound Community College
Olympia, WA
South Puget Sound Community College at a glance
South Puget Sound Community College is a public community college in Olympia, Washington with 4,871 students (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). It has an open admission policy (IPEDS, admission policy reported in the 2024-25 IC collection). Its published in-state tuition is $5,252 (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25); students who received federal aid paid an average net price of $9,132 a year after grants (College Scorecard, a prior cohort). 44% of students finish within the federal tracking window (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021); 5% of students take federal loans, and borrowers leave with a median $11,000 (College Scorecard). By program, the highest graduate earnings four years after finishing are in Nursing (RN), associate's ($85,161) and Business, associate's ($61,110) (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates).
Tuition
$5,252
2024-25
Acceptance
Open admission
2024-25
Students
4,871
Fall 2024
Type
Community College
Setting
Urban
Cost & Financial Aid
In-State Tuition
$5,252
Out-of-State Tuition
$5,813
Avg On-Campus Living
Not available
Avg Off-Campus Living
$17,310
Financial Aid & Outcomes
College Scorecard
What will it actually cost?
Sticker price: $5,252
Net price (after aid): $9,132
Most students pay the net price after financial aid, not the sticker price.
Net price by family income
$0 – $30k: $7,757
$30k – $48k: $8,765
$48k – $75k: $9,655
$75k – $110k: $11,781
$110k+: $16,766
Can federal loans cover it? (2026 limits)
At every income level reported here, the average net price is within the $25,500 a first-year dependent student and their parents can borrow from the federal government for loans made from 1 July 2026.
The ceiling is $5,500 in the student’s own Direct Loan plus up to $20,000 in Parent PLUS, which requires that the parent has no adverse credit history. Net prices are averages for a prior cohort of aid recipients, not a quote. Source: Federal Student Aid loan limits. Where this gap is largest.
After graduation
Median earnings (10yr): $45,039
Median debt at graduation: $11,000
Est. monthly loan payment: $117
Earnings-to-debt ratio
Strong · 4.1×Graduates earn about 4.1× their median debt every year.
Financial access
Students on Pell Grants: 22%
Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.
Students with federal loans: 5%
Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.
Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.
How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.
FAFSA earnings check
: Not flaggedSouth Puget Sound Community College does not trigger the FAFSA's "lower earnings" notice. Its graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $52,924, above the $38,829 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Washington.
This is one figure for the whole institution, not for any program: earnings differ by credential and field. It covers graduates who completed in 2017-18 and 2018-19, received federal aid, and were working and not enrolled when earnings were measured in 2022 and 2023, in January 2026 dollars. The Department says the notice is informational only: it does not change aid eligibility. Source: U.S. Department of Education, FSA Data Center, March 2026 release. Which colleges are flagged, and what changed.
Student Outcomes
Graduation Rate
44%
Freshman Retention
59%
Source: IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25 (provisional release)
Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.
Scholarships available
Decision support · Cost & value
Quick Decision Highlights
The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.
Lower net price
$9.1k
Out-of-state value
$5.8k below avg
Strong aid for lower incomes
Reported net price for the $0–30k band runs below average.
Affordability snapshot
In-state tuition
$5.3k
Out-of-state
$5.8k
below avg
Net price
$9.1k
Pell
22%
Median debt
$11k
below avg
Earnings (10y)
$45k
“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.
Admissions
Acceptance rate
Open admission
SAT range
Institution does not report this
Institution does not report this
ACT range
Institution does not report this
Institution does not report this
Source: IPEDS, open-admission policy reported for 2024-25 (final (revised) release)
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Location
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UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school
Institution does not report this
Olympia, WA 98512
Academics
Studying online: a large share study entirely online
In Fall 2023, 2,016 of South Puget Sound Community College's 4,252 students (47%) were enrolled entirely at a distance. A further 1,447 (34%) took at least one distance course alongside in-person study.
Distance-education figures count STUDENTS enrolled in Fall 2023, not programs on offer. "Exclusively at a distance" means a student took only distance courses that term. A college with few or no such students may still run online courses or an online degree, so a low figure is not evidence that online study is unavailable, and a high one is not a judgement of quality either way.
U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Fall Enrollment (distance education status), Fall 2023
Fields of study
South Puget Sound Community College reported conferring credentials in 22 different fields to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.
Campus & Student Life
Area Safety Rating
Decision support
Similar schools
Worth a closer look if South Puget Sound Community College caught your interest.
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Tuition $4,560 Open admissionSimilar tuition. Similar acceptance. Similar size.
Graduate earnings by program
What South Puget Sound Community College graduates earn, by program
South Puget Sound Community College's associate's graduates in Liberal Arts and General Studies earned a median $43,024 four years after graduating, about the same as the $44,125 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $29,056; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $10,998 in federal loans at this college (about $117 a month on a 10-year plan).
10 programs at South Puget Sound Community College have federal earnings or debt figures, largest graduating classes first. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Debt: graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20. The national median is the same measure for every program in that field and credential in the U.S.
| Program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after | National median | Federal debt borrowed at this college (median) | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and General Studies, Associate's | $43,024 | $44,125, about the same | $10,998 | $117/mo |
| Business, Associate's | $61,110 | $49,927, +22% | — | — |
| Nursing (RN), Associate's | $85,161 | $80,813, +5% | $19,663 | $208/mo |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Associate's | $65,707 | $54,971, +20% | — | — |
| Business Administration, Associate's | $47,244 | $48,733, −3% | — | — |
| Medical Assisting and Allied Health, Associate's | $40,895 | $42,269, −3% | — | — |
| Dental Hygiene and Dental Support, Associate's | $36,237 | $61,982, −42% | — | — |
| Computer Programming, Associate's | $44,890 | $58,070, −23% | — | — |
| Accounting, Associate's | $52,662 | $47,660, +10% | — | — |
| Paralegal and Legal Support, Associate's | $45,368 | $44,669, about the same | — | — |
What the job pays locally
- Nursing (RN) graduates train as registered nurses: median $124,200 in Washington.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: everyone working in the job, every experience level, not only recent graduates.
Median earnings of graduates who received federal student aid, worked, and were not enrolled in school; debt is the median federal loans borrowed at this college by graduates who borrowed (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS; not Parent PLUS, private loans or interest). Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education. Monthly payment assumes a standard 10-year plan. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data, 10 June 2026. Download every program (CSV). Same degree, different paycheck: what the national data show. Nursing graduates vs RN pay by state: the early-career benchmark.
Frequently asked questions
About South Puget Sound Community College
Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.
- Where is South Puget Sound Community College located?
- South Puget Sound Community College is located in Olympia, WA, in the United States.
- What type of institution is South Puget Sound Community College?
- South Puget Sound Community College is a public community college based in WA. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.
- Is South Puget Sound Community College open admission?
- Yes. South Puget Sound Community College reports an open admission policy to the federal IPEDS survey (IPEDS, admission policy reported in the 2024-25 IC collection), which IPEDS defines as accepting any student who applies. Individual programs, often nursing and other health programs, can still set their own entry requirements, so check the program you want with the college.
- What is the tuition at South Puget Sound Community College?
- South Puget Sound Community College's published in-state tuition is approximately $5,252 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.
- How many students attend South Puget Sound Community College?
- South Puget Sound Community College reports total enrollment of approximately 4,871 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.
- How much does South Puget Sound Community College actually cost after financial aid?
- The average net price at South Puget Sound Community College is approximately $9,132 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $7,757 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $16,766. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.
- What is the graduation rate at South Puget Sound Community College?
- South Puget Sound Community College reports a graduation rate of approximately 44% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.
- How much student debt do graduates of South Puget Sound Community College have?
- Students who borrowed at South Puget Sound Community College left with a median of approximately $11,000 in federal loans, and about 5% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.
- How much do graduates of South Puget Sound Community College earn?
- Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $45,039 for students who received federal financial aid at South Puget Sound Community College. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.
- How should I verify final details about South Puget Sound Community College?
- CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with South Puget Sound Community College.
- How much do Liberal Arts and General Studies graduates from South Puget Sound Community College earn?
- South Puget Sound Community College's associate's graduates in Liberal Arts and General Studies earned a median $43,024 four years after graduating, about the same as the $44,125 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $29,056; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $10,998 in federal loans at this college (about $117 a month on a 10-year plan).
- How much do Business graduates from South Puget Sound Community College earn?
- South Puget Sound Community College's associate's graduates in Business earned a median $61,110 four years after graduating, 22% above the $49,927 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).
- Which programs at South Puget Sound Community College have the highest graduate earnings?
- Among the 3 programs at South Puget Sound Community College with a federal earnings figure from at least 30 graduates, the highest medians four years after graduating were Nursing (RN), associate's ($85,161); Business, associate's ($61,110); and Liberal Arts and General Studies, associate's ($43,024) (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). That order is one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality: earnings reflect the field and where graduates go to work as well as the program.
- Does South Puget Sound Community College get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?
- No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, South Puget Sound Community College's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $52,924, above the $38,829 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Washington, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.
Fields this college awarded credentials in
The 14 largest of 22 fields South Puget Sound Community College reported, by credentials conferred in 2024-25, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.
| Field | Awarded | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 652 | Associate's |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 77 | Associate's (9 associate · 68 certificate) |
| Precision Metal Working | 58 | Associate's (14 associate · 44 certificate) |
| Business/Commerce, General | 55 | Associate's |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 41 | Associate's (26 associate · 15 certificate) |
| Biology, General | 33 | Associate's |
| Physical Sciences, General | 33 | Associate's |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 33 | Associate's |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 27 | Associate's |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | 25 | Associate's (15 associate · 10 certificate) |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 22 | Certificate |
| Accounting and Related Services | 18 | Associate's (7 associate · 11 certificate) |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | 17 | Associate's (8 associate · 9 certificate) |
| Computer Programming | 15 | Associate's |
Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Explore more
Compare colleges side by side. All colleges in Washington. Washington college costs by family income. Student debt at Washington colleges. Computer science in Washington. Business in Washington. Nursing in Washington. Psychology in Washington. Engineering major guide.
Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with South Puget Sound Community College before applying.
Data sources & methodology
Reporting period: 2024. Last verified: June 10, 2026.
Facts on this profile of South Puget Sound Community College are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Clery Act campus security reports
Annual campus security and fire-safety disclosures required of U.S. institutions.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. (2024). South Puget Sound Community College, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/south-puget-sound-community-college
About this information
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