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Santa Rosa Junior College — ROI, Cost & Payback

Public · Santa Rosa, CA · 15,080 students

The verdict

Santa Rosa Junior College charges a net price of $6,331/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $25,324. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,224, 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, Santa Rosa Junior College does not clear its cost — it ranks #123 of 334 California colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$6,331
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$47,224
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Santa Rosa Junior College: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$6,331/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (4 yrs)$25,324our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$47,224Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$1,136/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$9,500Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$48,044our math

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

The arithmetic, on Santa Rosa Junior College's own numbers. Net price $6,331 × 4 years = $25,324 total. Median earnings $47,224 fall $1,136 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 $25,324 bill in about 2.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do Santa Rosa Junior College students graduate with?

A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 20% of the $47,224 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of Santa Rosa Junior College students graduate?

37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $25,324 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $68,443 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is Santa Rosa Junior College expensive compared with other California colleges?

Its $6,331 net price runs $13,574 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $54,296 less across the full degree.

Santa Rosa Junior College: frequently asked questions

Is Santa Rosa Junior College worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $47,224, 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 Santa Rosa Junior 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 Santa Rosa Junior College cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $6,331/yr — about $25,324 over 4 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does Santa Rosa Junior College compare to other California colleges?
It ranks #123 of 334 California colleges we track by payback. Its $47,224 median earnings beat the national median of $43,549, and its $6,331 net price is below the national median of $16,902.