Los Angeles Valley College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Los Angeles Valley College charges a net price of $12,152/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $48,608. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,678, 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 Valley College does not clear its cost — it ranks #177 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) | $12,152/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $48,608 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,678 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,682/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$162,248 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Los Angeles Valley College's own numbers. Net price $12,152 × 4 years = $48,608 total. Median earnings $42,678 fall $5,682 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 $48,608 bill in about 4.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Los Angeles Valley College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $42,678 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Los Angeles Valley College students graduate?
32% finish their degree — 68% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $48,608 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $151,900 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Los Angeles Valley College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $12,152 net price runs $7,753 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $31,012 less across the full degree.