San Juan College — ROI, Cost & Payback
San Juan College charges a net price of $5,769/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $23,076. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,513, 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 Juan College does not clear its cost — it ranks #22 of 32 New Mexico colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,769/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $23,076 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,513 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,847/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$260,016 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on San Juan College's own numbers. Net price $5,769 × 4 years = $23,076 total. Median earnings $36,513 fall $11,847 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 $23,076 bill in about 2.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do San Juan College students graduate with?
A median $9,750 in federal loans among completers, or 27% of the $36,513 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of San Juan College students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $23,076 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $62,368 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is San Juan College expensive compared with other New Mexico colleges?
Its $5,769 net price runs $1,554 below the $7,323 median across the 32 New Mexico colleges we profile, and $6,214 less across the full degree.