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San Joaquin Delta College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Public · Stockton, CA · 15,781 students

The verdict

San Joaquin Delta College charges a net price of $2,407/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $4,814. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,212, 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 Joaquin Delta College does not clear its cost — it ranks #141 of 334 California colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$2,407
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$43,212
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
San Joaquin Delta College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$2,407/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (2 yrs)$4,814our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$43,212Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$5,148/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$7,500Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$107,774our math

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

The arithmetic, on San Joaquin Delta College's own numbers. Net price $2,407 × 2 years = $4,814 total. Median earnings $43,212 fall $5,148 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 $4,814 bill in about 0.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do San Joaquin Delta College students graduate with?

A median $7,500 in federal loans among completers, or 17% of the $43,212 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of San Joaquin Delta College students graduate?

35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $4,814 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $13,754 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is San Joaquin Delta College expensive compared with other California colleges?

Its $2,407 net price runs $17,498 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $34,996 less across the full degree.

San Joaquin Delta College: frequently asked questions

Is San Joaquin Delta College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $43,212, 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 Joaquin Delta 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 Joaquin Delta College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $2,407/yr — about $4,814 over 2 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does San Joaquin Delta College compare to other California colleges?
It ranks #141 of 334 California colleges we track by payback. Its $43,212 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $2,407 net price is below the national median of $16,902.