Cabrillo College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Cabrillo College charges a net price of $15,843/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $31,686. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,114, 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, Cabrillo College does not clear its cost — it ranks #147 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) | $15,843/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $31,686 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,114 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,246/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,380 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$116,606 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Cabrillo College's own numbers. Net price $15,843 × 2 years = $31,686 total. Median earnings $44,114 fall $4,246 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 $31,686 bill in about 3.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Cabrillo College students graduate with?
A median $14,380 in federal loans among completers, or 33% of the $44,114 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Cabrillo College students graduate?
38% finish their degree — 62% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $31,686 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $83,384 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Cabrillo College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $15,843 net price runs $4,062 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $8,124 less across the full degree.