Grossmont College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Grossmont College charges a net price of $5,311/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $10,622. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,309, 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, Grossmont College does not clear its cost — it ranks #181 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) | $5,311/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $10,622 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,309 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,051/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,625 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$171,642 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Grossmont College's own numbers. Net price $5,311 × 2 years = $10,622 total. Median earnings $40,309 fall $8,051 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 $10,622 bill in about 1.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Grossmont College students graduate with?
A median $8,625 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $40,309 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Grossmont College students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $10,622 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $28,708 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Grossmont College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $5,311 net price runs $14,594 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $29,188 less across the full degree.