10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$134,792at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Santa Ana College
⌖ Santa Ana, CA · 32 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$134,792 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.
33.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
−70%Modeled 10-year ROI
$50,774Observed 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
$3,133Average net price / year
$12,375Cost of attendance
$50,774Median earnings · year 5 after completion
30.9%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
22,485Student 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
$36,951Year 1
$63,039Year 4
$50,774Year 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$98,3422Fire Protection · Associate's Degree$74,2903Physics · Associate's Degree$73,7704Fire Protection · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$68,9445Precision Metal Working · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$68,6336Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians · Associate's Degree$66,9357Mathematics · Associate's Degree$66,2828Precision Metal Working · Associate's Degree$65,618Observed 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.
Santa Clarita, CA
College of the Canyons
- Annual net price
- $3,702
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $50,713
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -71%
San Diego Miramar College
- Annual net price
- $3,337
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,782
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -65%
San Joaquin Delta College
- Annual net price
- $2,407
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,800
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -75%
Pasadena City College
- Annual net price
- $3,864
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $48,757
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -81%
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 | $98,342 | $16,739 |
| Fire Protection | Associate's Degree | $74,290 | $14,000 |
| Physics | Associate's Degree | $73,770 | Not available |
| Fire Protection | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $68,944 | $15,000 |
| Precision Metal Working | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $68,633 | Not available |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Associate's Degree | $66,935 | Not available |
| Mathematics | Associate's Degree | $66,282 | Not available |
| Precision Metal Working | Associate's Degree | $65,618 | Not available |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $57,369 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $56,282 | $16,487 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $55,898 | Not available |
| International Business | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $54,920 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's Degree | $54,492 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's Degree | $53,388 | $7,500 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Associate's Degree | $52,099 | Not available |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | Associate's Degree | $50,156 | $8,042 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Associate's Degree | $48,682 | Not available |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Associate's Degree | $47,971 | $13,735 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Associate's Degree | $47,880 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $47,100 | Not available |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Associate's Degree | $45,971 | Not available |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's Degree | $45,791 | $6,800 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $45,753 | $7,227 |
| Human Services, General | Associate's Degree | $45,516 | Not available |
| Sociology | Associate's Degree | $45,161 | Not available |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification) | $44,824 | Not available |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $42,662 | $11,000 |
| Psychology, General | Associate's Degree | $40,262 | Not available |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Associate's Degree | $39,025 | Not available |
| English Language and Literature, General | Associate's Degree | $38,049 | Not available |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $36,584 | $6,630 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Associate's Degree | $29,816 | 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.