Imperial Valley College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Imperial Valley College charges a net price of $1,115/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $2,230. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,487, 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, Imperial Valley College does not clear its cost — it ranks #232 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) | $1,115/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $2,230 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,487 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,873/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$279,690 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Imperial Valley College's own numbers. Net price $1,115 × 2 years = $2,230 total. Median earnings $34,487 fall $13,873 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 $2,230 bill in about 0.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Imperial Valley College students graduate?
45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $2,230 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $4,956 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Imperial Valley College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $1,115 net price runs $18,790 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $37,580 less across the full degree.