Diablo Valley College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Diablo Valley College charges a net price of $8,312/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $16,624. Graduates earn a median $51,378 ten years after entry, $3,018/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 5.5 years — a 20-year net return of $43,736, a solid payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Diablo Valley College's 5.5-year payback ranks #474 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 63% of them, and #77 of 334 in California.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,312/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $16,624 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $51,378 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $3,018/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,021 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 5.5 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $43,736 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Diablo Valley College's own numbers. Net price $8,312 × 2 years = $16,624 total. Median earnings $51,378 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $3,018 a year of premium. $16,624 ÷ $3,018 = 5.5 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $43,736. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Diablo Valley College students graduate with?
A median $10,021 in federal loans among completers, or 20% of the $51,378 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Diablo Valley College students graduate?
49% finish their degree — 51% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $16,624 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $33,927 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Diablo Valley College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $8,312 net price runs $11,593 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $23,186 less across the full degree.