Los Angeles College of Music — ROI, Cost & Payback
Los Angeles College of Music charges a net price of $43,590/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $174,360. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,758, 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 College of Music does not clear its cost — it ranks #306 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) | $43,590/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $174,360 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,758 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$16,602/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,938 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$506,400 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Los Angeles College of Music's own numbers. Net price $43,590 × 4 years = $174,360 total. Median earnings $31,758 fall $16,602 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 $174,360 bill in about 17.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Los Angeles College of Music students graduate with?
A median $27,938 in federal loans among completers, or 88% of the $31,758 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Los Angeles College of Music students graduate?
41% finish their degree — 59% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $174,360 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $425,268 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Los Angeles College of Music expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $43,590 net price runs $23,685 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $94,740 more across the full degree.