10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$72,192at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
West Valley College
⌖ Saratoga, CA · 9 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$72,192 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.
15.9 yrsModeled economic break-even
−37%Modeled 10-year ROI
$57,150Observed 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
$3,423Average net price / year
$13,717Cost of attendance
$57,150Median earnings · year 5 after completion
50.7%Completion rate
Not availableAdmission rate
6,416Student 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
$28,508Year 1
$51,402Year 4
$57,150Year 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.
1Economics · Associate's Degree$72,3332Communication and Media Studies · Associate's Degree$65,2803Business Administration, Management and Operations · Associate's Degree$61,6124Biological and Physical Sciences · Associate's Degree$56,4385Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities · Associate's Degree$52,7086Sociology · Associate's Degree$51,8187Criminal Justice and Corrections · Associate's Degree$49,9818Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services · Associate's Degree$49,933Observed 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.
San Bernardino, CA
California State University, San Bernardino
- Annual net price
- $4,564
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $56,795
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -41%
Santiago Canyon College
- Annual net price
- $2,129
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $57,634
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -33%
Modesto Junior College
- Annual net price
- $2,818
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $55,772
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -44%
California State University, Los Angeles
- Annual net price
- $3,967
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $59,715
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -25%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | Associate's Degree | $72,333 | Not available |
| Communication and Media Studies | Associate's Degree | $65,280 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's Degree | $61,612 | Not available |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | Associate's Degree | $56,438 | Not available |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's Degree | $52,708 | $14,308 |
| Sociology | Associate's Degree | $51,818 | Not available |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Associate's Degree | $49,981 | Not available |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Associate's Degree | $49,933 | Not available |
| Psychology, General | Associate's Degree | $41,180 | 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.