Long Beach City College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Long Beach City College charges a net price of $6,202/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $24,808. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,870, 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, Long Beach City College does not clear its cost — it ranks #204 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) | $6,202/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $24,808 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,870 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,490/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$214,608 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Long Beach City College's own numbers. Net price $6,202 × 4 years = $24,808 total. Median earnings $38,870 fall $9,490 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 $24,808 bill in about 2.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Long Beach City College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 27% of the $38,870 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Long Beach City College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $24,808 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $82,693 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Long Beach City College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $6,202 net price runs $13,703 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $54,812 less across the full degree.