Fresno City College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Fresno City College charges a net price of $8,069/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $32,276. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,361, 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, Fresno City College does not clear its cost — it ranks #220 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) | $8,069/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $32,276 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,361 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,999/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $4,058 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$252,256 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Fresno City College's own numbers. Net price $8,069 × 4 years = $32,276 total. Median earnings $37,361 fall $10,999 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 $32,276 bill in about 3.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Fresno City College students graduate with?
A median $4,058 in federal loans among completers, or 11% of the $37,361 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Fresno City College students graduate?
24% finish their degree — 76% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $32,276 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $134,483 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Fresno City College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $8,069 net price runs $11,836 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $47,344 less across the full degree.