City College of San Francisco — ROI, Cost & Payback
City College of San Francisco charges a net price of $6,906/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $27,624. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,805, 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, City College of San Francisco does not clear its cost — it ranks #132 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) | $6,906/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $27,624 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,805 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,555/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,218 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$78,724 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on City College of San Francisco's own numbers. Net price $6,906 × 4 years = $27,624 total. Median earnings $45,805 fall $2,555 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 $27,624 bill in about 2.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do City College of San Francisco students graduate with?
A median $8,218 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $45,805 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of City College of San Francisco students graduate?
40% finish their degree — 60% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,624 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $69,060 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is City College of San Francisco expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $6,906 net price runs $12,999 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $51,996 less across the full degree.