GateWay Community College-Central City — ROI, Cost & Payback
GateWay Community College-Central City charges a net price of $14,438/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $57,752. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,147, 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, GateWay Community College-Central City does not clear its cost — it ranks #16 of 63 Arizona colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $14,438/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $57,752 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,147 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,213/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$102,012 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on GateWay Community College-Central City's own numbers. Net price $14,438 × 4 years = $57,752 total. Median earnings $46,147 fall $2,213 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 $57,752 bill in about 5.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do GateWay Community College-Central City students graduate with?
A median $6,750 in federal loans among completers, or 15% of the $46,147 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of GateWay Community College-Central City students graduate?
55% finish their degree — 45% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $57,752 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $105,004 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is GateWay Community College-Central City expensive compared with other Arizona colleges?
Its $14,438 net price runs $3,001 below the $17,439 median across the 63 Arizona colleges we profile, and $12,004 less across the full degree.