10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$103,658at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Saddleback College
⌖ Mission Viejo, CA · 2 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
10-year estimate · Negative payoff
−$103,658 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
With these assumptions, the added earnings do not recover the cost within ten years.
21.2 yrsModeled economic break-even
−53%Modeled 10-year ROI
$54,295Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedMaximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
What the numbers say about Saddleback College
What does Saddleback College cost?
Saddleback College reports an average annual net price of $4,152 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Saddleback College graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $54,295 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Saddleback College graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $9,500. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Saddleback College worth the same?
No. DegreeVerdict currently shows 2 field-and-credential outcomes at Saddleback College; reported earnings and debt can differ substantially by program category.
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.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$87,050
$4,000Current college-wide context−$103,050
$8,000Annual price−$119,050
$16,000Annual price−$151,050
$24,000Annual price−$183,050
$32,000Annual price−$215,050
$40,000Annual price−$247,050
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
- Main award level
- Associate degrees
- Campus setting
- Suburban
- Admissions
- Open admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
Cost, debt, completion and earnings context
$4,152Average net price / year
$13,939Cost of attendance
$9,500Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$101/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$54,295Median earnings · year 5 after completion
48.0%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
17,684Student size
Institution debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded; missing and privacy-suppressed values remain unavailable.
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
41% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
Borrower count not reportedMedian federal student debt
45% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$49,558Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$52,663Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$53,937Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income41%
Middle income50%
Higher income59%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
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
$31,115Year 1
$46,604Year 4
$54,295Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
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.
Fairfield, CA
Solano Community College
- Annual net price
- $4,669
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $54,959
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -50%
Las Positas College
- Annual net price
- $5,377
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $53,212
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -59%
Cypress College
- Annual net price
- $4,606
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,233
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -64%
Modesto Junior College
- Annual net price
- $2,818
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $55,772
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -44%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2023–24 awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Not available | $5,500 | 5,098 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's Degree | Not available | $5,914 | Not reported |
Awards use first-major IPEDS completions aggregated to the same four-digit field and credential.
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.