California State University-Los Angeles — ROI, Cost & Payback
California State University-Los Angeles charges a net price of $3,967/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $15,868. Graduates earn a median $59,211 ten years after entry, $10,851/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 1.5 years — a 20-year net return of $201,152, a strong payback — the degree clears its cost fast. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
California State University-Los Angeles's 1.5-year payback ranks #31 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 98% of them, and #9 of 334 in California.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $3,967/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $15,868 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $59,211 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $10,851/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 1.5 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $201,152 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on California State University-Los Angeles's own numbers. Net price $3,967 × 4 years = $15,868 total. Median earnings $59,211 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $10,851 a year of premium. $15,868 ÷ $10,851 = 1.5 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $201,152. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do California State University-Los Angeles students graduate with?
A median $13,000 in federal loans among completers, or 22% of the $59,211 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of California State University-Los Angeles students graduate?
53% finish their degree — 47% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $15,868 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $29,940 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is California State University-Los Angeles expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $3,967 net price runs $15,938 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $63,752 less across the full degree.