Los Angeles City College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Los Angeles City College charges a net price of $10,261/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $20,522. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,190, 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, Los Angeles City College does not clear its cost — it ranks #226 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) | $10,261/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $20,522 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,190 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,170/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$263,922 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Los Angeles City College's own numbers. Net price $10,261 × 2 years = $20,522 total. Median earnings $36,190 fall $12,170 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 $20,522 bill in about 2.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Los Angeles City College students graduate with?
A median $12,750 in federal loans among completers, or 35% of the $36,190 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Los Angeles City College students graduate?
29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $20,522 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $70,766 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Los Angeles City College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $10,261 net price runs $9,644 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $19,288 less across the full degree.