Summit College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Summit College charges a net price of $29,926/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $119,704. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,187, 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, Summit College does not clear its cost — it ranks #233 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) | $29,926/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $119,704 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,187 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,173/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,600 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$283,164 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Summit College's own numbers. Net price $29,926 × 4 years = $119,704 total. Median earnings $40,187 fall $8,173 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 $119,704 bill in about 12.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Summit College students graduate with?
A median $7,600 in federal loans among completers, or 19% of the $40,187 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Summit College students graduate?
62% finish their degree — 38% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $119,704 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $193,071 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Summit College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $29,926 net price runs $10,021 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $40,084 more across the full degree.