Pasadena City College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Pasadena City College charges a net price of $3,864/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $7,728. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,937, 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, Pasadena City College does not clear its cost — it ranks #137 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) | $3,864/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $7,728 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,937 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,423/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,651 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$96,188 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Pasadena City College's own numbers. Net price $3,864 × 2 years = $7,728 total. Median earnings $43,937 fall $4,423 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 $7,728 bill in about 0.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Pasadena City College students graduate with?
A median $6,651 in federal loans among completers, or 15% of the $43,937 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Pasadena City College students graduate?
48% finish their degree — 52% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $7,728 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $16,100 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Pasadena City College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $3,864 net price runs $16,041 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $32,082 less across the full degree.