National Career College — ROI, Cost & Payback
National Career College charges a net price of $27,850/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $111,400. Median earnings ten years after entry are $19,347, 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, National Career College does not clear its cost — it ranks #331 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) | $27,850/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $111,400 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $19,347 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$29,013/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,645 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$691,660 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on National Career College's own numbers. Net price $27,850 × 4 years = $111,400 total. Median earnings $19,347 fall $29,013 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 $111,400 bill in about 11.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do National Career College students graduate with?
A median $8,645 in federal loans among completers, or 45% of the $19,347 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of National Career College students graduate?
74% finish their degree. Spread the $111,400 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $150,541 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is National Career College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $27,850 net price runs $7,945 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $31,780 more across the full degree.