Universal Technical Institute-Southern California — ROI, Cost & Payback
Universal Technical Institute-Southern California charges a net price of $27,506/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $55,012. Graduates earn a median $52,873 ten years after entry, $4,513/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 12.2 years — a 20-year net return of $35,248, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Universal Technical Institute-Southern California's 12.2-year payback ranks #879 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 31% of them, and #102 of 334 in California.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $27,506/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $55,012 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $52,873 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $4,513/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,124 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 12.2 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $35,248 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 2 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.