10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$157,886at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Pasadena City College
⌖ Pasadena, CA · 12 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$157,886 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
52.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
−81%Modeled 10-year ROI
$48,757Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$3,864Average net price / year
$13,677Cost of attendance
$48,757Median earnings · year 5 after completion
47.9%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
21,466Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$27,351Year 1
$48,980Year 4
$48,757Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Associate's Degree$107,3572Business Administration, Management and Operations · Associate's Degree$50,7523Social Sciences, General · Associate's Degree$48,7094Natural Sciences · Associate's Degree$47,7215Communication and Media Studies · Associate's Degree$45,2356Criminal Justice and Corrections · Associate's Degree$44,0337Psychology, General · Associate's Degree$42,7008Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services · Associate's Degree$41,808Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in CA
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
El Cajon, CA
Grossmont College
- Annual net price
- $5,311
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $48,599
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -82%
Antelope Valley Community College District
- Annual net price
- $3,860
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $46,964
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -90%
Irvine Valley College
- Annual net price
- $2,090
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,015
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -79%
College of the Canyons
- Annual net price
- $3,702
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $50,713
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -71%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's Degree | $107,357 | $12,834 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's Degree | $50,752 | $5,681 |
| Social Sciences, General | Associate's Degree | $48,709 | Not available |
| Natural Sciences | Associate's Degree | $47,721 | $6,250 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Associate's Degree | $45,235 | Not available |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Associate's Degree | $44,033 | Not available |
| Psychology, General | Associate's Degree | $42,700 | $12,000 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Associate's Degree | $41,808 | Not available |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's Degree | $41,598 | Not available |
| Sociology | Associate's Degree | $39,348 | Not available |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Associate's Degree | $33,915 | Not available |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Associate's Degree | $30,107 | Not available |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.