California Nurses Educational Institute — ROI, Cost & Payback
California Nurses Educational Institute charges a net price of $23,231/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $92,924. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,895, 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, California Nurses Educational Institute does not clear its cost — it ranks #149 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) | $23,231/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $92,924 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,895 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,465/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $16,941 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$122,224 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on California Nurses Educational Institute's own numbers. Net price $23,231 × 4 years = $92,924 total. Median earnings $46,895 fall $1,465 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 $92,924 bill in about 9.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do California Nurses Educational Institute students graduate with?
A median $16,941 in federal loans among completers, or 36% of the $46,895 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of California Nurses Educational Institute students graduate?
80% finish their degree. Spread the $92,924 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $116,155 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is California Nurses Educational Institute expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $23,231 net price runs $3,326 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $13,304 more across the full degree.