Rio Hondo College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Rio Hondo College charges a net price of $14,379/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $57,516. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,950, 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, Rio Hondo College does not clear its cost — it ranks #151 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) | $14,379/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $57,516 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,950 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,410/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $5,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$125,716 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Rio Hondo College's own numbers. Net price $14,379 × 4 years = $57,516 total. Median earnings $44,950 fall $3,410 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 $57,516 bill in about 5.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Rio Hondo College students graduate with?
A median $5,500 in federal loans among completers, or 12% of the $44,950 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Rio Hondo College students graduate?
25% finish their degree — 75% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $57,516 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $230,064 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Rio Hondo College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $14,379 net price runs $5,526 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $22,104 less across the full degree.