Berkeley City College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Berkeley City College charges a net price of $9,096/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $18,192. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,217, 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, Berkeley City College does not clear its cost — it ranks #174 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) | $9,096/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $18,192 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,217 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,143/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$161,052 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Berkeley City College's own numbers. Net price $9,096 × 2 years = $18,192 total. Median earnings $41,217 fall $7,143 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 $18,192 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Berkeley City College students graduate?
36% finish their degree — 64% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $18,192 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $50,533 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Berkeley City College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $9,096 net price runs $10,809 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $21,618 less across the full degree.