Coalinga College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Coalinga College charges a net price of $10,477/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $41,908. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,633, 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, Coalinga College does not clear its cost — it ranks #223 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) | $10,477/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $41,908 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,633 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,727/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$256,448 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Coalinga College's own numbers. Net price $10,477 × 4 years = $41,908 total. Median earnings $37,633 fall $10,727 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 $41,908 bill in about 4.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Coalinga College students graduate with?
A median $6,750 in federal loans among completers, or 18% of the $37,633 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Coalinga College students graduate?
43% finish their degree — 57% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $41,908 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $97,460 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Coalinga College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $10,477 net price runs $9,428 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $37,712 less across the full degree.