Chabot College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Chabot College charges a net price of $9,053/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $36,212. Median earnings ten years after entry are $48,143, 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, Chabot College does not clear its cost — it ranks #122 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) | $9,053/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $36,212 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $48,143 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$217/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$40,552 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Chabot College's own numbers. Net price $9,053 × 4 years = $36,212 total. Median earnings $48,143 fall $217 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 $36,212 bill in about 3.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Chabot College students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 20% of the $48,143 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Chabot College students graduate?
47% finish their degree — 53% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $36,212 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $77,047 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Chabot College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $9,053 net price runs $10,852 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $43,408 less across the full degree.