Head-to-head comparison
Charter College vs Alaska Pacific University: which has better ROI?
Option A Anchorage, AK
Charter College
- Net price / year
- $34,860
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,504
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Anchorage, AK
Alaska Pacific University
- Net price / year
- $21,616
- Earnings, 10 years
- $54,271
- Payback
- 7.3 yrs
Alaska Pacific University has the better ROI: it clears its 2-year net cost of $43,232 in 7.3 years versus not at all at Charter College, on median earnings of $54,271 vs $35,504 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Charter College | Alaska Pacific University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,860 | $21,616 |
| Total net cost | $139,440 | $43,232 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,504 | $54,271 |
| Median debt | $14,176 | $23,500 |
| Payback | — | 7.3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$396,560 | $74,988 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Charter College or Alaska Pacific University?
Alaska Pacific University, at $21,616 a year after aid versus $34,860 — a gap of $13,244 a year, or $96,208 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Charter College or Alaska Pacific University graduates earn more?
Alaska Pacific University graduates report a median $54,271 ten years after entry, $18,767 more than the $35,504 at Charter College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Charter College or Alaska Pacific University?
Charter College: its completers carry a median $14,176 in federal loans versus $23,500 at Alaska Pacific University, a difference of $9,324. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
56% of students finish at Charter College, against 47% at Alaska Pacific University. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.