Los Angeles Pierce College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Los Angeles Pierce College charges a net price of $13,270/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $26,540. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,521, 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 Pierce College does not clear its cost — it ranks #139 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) | $13,270/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $26,540 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,521 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,839/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,936 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$103,320 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Los Angeles Pierce College's own numbers. Net price $13,270 × 2 years = $26,540 total. Median earnings $44,521 fall $3,839 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 $26,540 bill in about 2.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Los Angeles Pierce College students graduate with?
A median $12,936 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $44,521 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Los Angeles Pierce College students graduate?
46% finish their degree — 54% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $26,540 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $57,696 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Los Angeles Pierce College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $13,270 net price runs $6,635 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $13,270 less across the full degree.