Cypress College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Cypress College charges a net price of $4,606/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $18,424. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,533, 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, Cypress College does not clear its cost — it ranks #146 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) | $4,606/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $18,424 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,533 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,827/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$114,964 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Cypress College's own numbers. Net price $4,606 × 4 years = $18,424 total. Median earnings $43,533 fall $4,827 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 $18,424 bill in about 1.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Cypress College students graduate with?
A median $10,000 in federal loans among completers, or 23% of the $43,533 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Cypress College students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $18,424 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $49,795 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Cypress College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $4,606 net price runs $15,299 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $61,196 less across the full degree.