Los Angeles Trade Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Los Angeles Trade Technical College charges a net price of $12,323/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $49,292. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,233, 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 Trade Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #249 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) | $12,323/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $49,292 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,233 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,127/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$311,832 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Los Angeles Trade Technical College's own numbers. Net price $12,323 × 4 years = $49,292 total. Median earnings $35,233 fall $13,127 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 $49,292 bill in about 4.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Los Angeles Trade Technical College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 30% of the $35,233 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Los Angeles Trade Technical College students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $49,292 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $140,834 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Los Angeles Trade Technical College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $12,323 net price runs $7,582 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $30,328 less across the full degree.