Glendale Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Glendale Community College charges a net price of $8,365/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $16,730. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,540, 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, Glendale Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #172 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) | $8,365/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $16,730 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,540 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,820/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,972 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$153,130 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Glendale Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,365 × 2 years = $16,730 total. Median earnings $41,540 fall $6,820 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 $16,730 bill in about 1.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Glendale Community College students graduate with?
A median $8,972 in federal loans among completers, or 22% of the $41,540 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Glendale Community College students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $16,730 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $45,216 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Glendale Community College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $8,365 net price runs $11,540 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $23,080 less across the full degree.