San Diego City College — ROI, Cost & Payback
San Diego City College charges a net price of $7,935/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $15,870. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,503, 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, San Diego City College does not clear its cost — it ranks #202 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) | $7,935/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $15,870 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,503 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,857/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,689 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$213,010 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on San Diego City College's own numbers. Net price $7,935 × 2 years = $15,870 total. Median earnings $38,503 fall $9,857 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 $15,870 bill in about 1.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do San Diego City College students graduate with?
A median $7,689 in federal loans among completers, or 20% of the $38,503 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of San Diego City College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $15,870 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $52,900 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is San Diego City College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $7,935 net price runs $11,970 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $23,940 less across the full degree.