North-West College-San Diego — ROI, Cost & Payback
North-West College-San Diego charges a net price of $46,503/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $93,006. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,472, 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-San Diego does not clear its cost — it ranks #209 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) | $46,503/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $93,006 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,472 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,888/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$230,766 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on North-West College-San Diego's own numbers. Net price $46,503 × 2 years = $93,006 total. Median earnings $41,472 fall $6,888 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 $93,006 bill in about 9.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do North-West College-San Diego students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 23% of the $41,472 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
Is North-West College-San Diego expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $46,503 net price runs $26,598 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $53,196 more across the full degree.