Barstow Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Barstow Community College charges a net price of $12,773/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $51,092. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,104, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Barstow Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #255 of 334 California colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $12,773/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $51,092 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,104 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,256/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $3,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$316,212 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Barstow Community College's own numbers. Net price $12,773 × 4 years = $51,092 total. Median earnings $35,104 fall $13,256 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $51,092 bill in about 5.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Barstow Community College students graduate with?
A median $3,500 in federal loans among completers, or 10% of the $35,104 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Barstow Community College students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $51,092 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $131,005 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Barstow Community College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $12,773 net price runs $7,132 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $28,528 less across the full degree.