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San Jacinto Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Public · Pasadena, TX · 22,969 students

The verdict

San Jacinto Community College charges a net price of $12,143/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $24,286. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,062, 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.)

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On institution-wide earnings, San Jacinto Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #87 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$12,143
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$43,062
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
San Jacinto Community College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$12,143/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (2 yrs)$24,286our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$43,062Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$5,298/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$9,500Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$130,246our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on San Jacinto Community College's own numbers. Net price $12,143 × 2 years = $24,286 total. Median earnings $43,062 fall $5,298 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 $24,286 bill in about 2.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do San Jacinto Community College students graduate with?

A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 22% of the $43,062 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of San Jacinto Community College students graduate?

30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $24,286 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $80,953 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is San Jacinto Community College expensive compared with other Texas colleges?

Its $12,143 net price runs $7,216 below the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, and $14,432 less across the full degree.

San Jacinto Community College: frequently asked questions

Is San Jacinto Community College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $43,062, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a San Jacinto Community College degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does San Jacinto Community College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $12,143/yr — about $24,286 over 2 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does San Jacinto Community College compare to other Texas colleges?
It ranks #87 of 213 Texas colleges we track by payback. Its $43,062 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $12,143 net price is below the national median of $16,902.