North-West College-Long Beach — ROI, Cost & Payback
North-West College-Long Beach charges a net price of $33,503/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $134,012. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,876, 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, North-West College-Long Beach does not clear its cost — it ranks #240 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) | $33,503/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $134,012 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,876 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,484/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$303,692 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on North-West College-Long Beach's own numbers. Net price $33,503 × 4 years = $134,012 total. Median earnings $39,876 fall $8,484 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 $134,012 bill in about 13.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do North-West College-Long Beach students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $39,876 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of North-West College-Long Beach students graduate?
58% finish their degree — 42% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $134,012 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $231,055 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is North-West College-Long Beach expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $33,503 net price runs $13,598 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $54,392 more across the full degree.