National Polytechnic College — ROI, Cost & Payback
National Polytechnic College charges a net price of $30,669/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $61,338. Median earnings ten years after entry are $30,781, 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 Polytechnic College does not clear its cost — it ranks #279 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) | $30,669/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $61,338 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $30,781 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$17,579/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $16,098 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$412,918 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on National Polytechnic College's own numbers. Net price $30,669 × 2 years = $61,338 total. Median earnings $30,781 fall $17,579 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 $61,338 bill in about 6.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do National Polytechnic College students graduate with?
A median $16,098 in federal loans among completers, or 52% of the $30,781 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of National Polytechnic College students graduate?
47% finish their degree — 53% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $61,338 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $130,506 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is National Polytechnic College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $30,669 net price runs $10,764 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $21,528 more across the full degree.