CET-San Diego — ROI, Cost & Payback
CET-San Diego charges a net price of $22,035/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $88,140. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,986, 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, CET-San Diego does not clear its cost — it ranks #278 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) | $22,035/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $88,140 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,986 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,374/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,041 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$395,620 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on CET-San Diego's own numbers. Net price $22,035 × 4 years = $88,140 total. Median earnings $32,986 fall $15,374 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 $88,140 bill in about 8.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do CET-San Diego students graduate with?
A median $7,041 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $32,986 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of CET-San Diego students graduate?
87% finish their degree. Spread the $88,140 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $101,310 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is CET-San Diego expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $22,035 net price runs $2,130 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $8,520 more across the full degree.