College of the Sequoias — ROI, Cost & Payback
College of the Sequoias charges a net price of $480/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $1,920. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,092, 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, College of the Sequoias does not clear its cost — it ranks #190 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) | $480/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $1,920 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,092 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,268/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $4,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$187,280 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on College of the Sequoias's own numbers. Net price $480 × 4 years = $1,920 total. Median earnings $39,092 fall $9,268 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 $1,920 bill in about 0.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do College of the Sequoias students graduate with?
A median $4,500 in federal loans among completers, or 12% of the $39,092 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of College of the Sequoias students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $1,920 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $4,923 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is College of the Sequoias expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $480 net price runs $19,425 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $77,700 less across the full degree.