Butte College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Butte College charges a net price of $5,520/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $11,040. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,810, 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, Butte College does not clear its cost — it ranks #165 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) | $5,520/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $11,040 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,810 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,550/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$142,040 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Butte College's own numbers. Net price $5,520 × 2 years = $11,040 total. Median earnings $41,810 fall $6,550 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 $11,040 bill in about 1.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Butte College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $41,810 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Butte College students graduate?
45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $11,040 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $24,533 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Butte College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $5,520 net price runs $14,385 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $28,770 less across the full degree.