At $5,743/yr net price, Chaffey College graduates earn $42,975/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $8,975/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $5,743 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $22,972 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,975/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$8,975/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 2.6 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 31.9% |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $5,001/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $5,594/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $7,016/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $9,816/yr |
| $110,001+ | $8,819/yr |
The Risk Factor
31.9% of students at Chaffey College graduate within 6 years. Fewer than half of students complete their degree. If you don't graduate, the financial investment may not pay off.
Analysis
Chaffey College gives you a low-cost entry point with a modest but real payoff. Net price sits under $6,000 a year, and median earnings ten years out land near $43,000. For a two-year public college in the Inland Empire, that math works: your total cost to a credential is a fraction of what you'd earn back within a single year of full-time work.
The catch is completion. Only about a third of students finish. The ROI here depends entirely on whether you're in the group that graduates or transfers. If you drift out with a semester or two and some debt, the earnings figure above never applies to you, and the low net price stops mattering. The financial risk at Chaffey isn't the price tag. it's the odds of walking away without a credential.
No bachelor-level program earnings are listed here, so treat any specific major-by-major payoff as unproven. What you can count on is the structure: this is a transfer and workforce launch point, and its value comes from either moving to a four-year school or landing a local job in the Rancho Cucamonga and broader Inland Empire market.
The net price tiers are worth reading closely. If your family earns under $48,000, you pay roughly $5,000 to $5,600, and grant aid keeps your cost lowest. Families between $48,000 and $110,000 actually pay more than the highest earners, peaking near $9,800 in the $75,000-$110,000 band. If you're in that middle range, you get squeezed hardest relative to income.
Chaffey fits you if you'll commit to finishing a two-year credential or a transfer path and you want to keep costs near zero. If you need a program that guarantees a specific salary outcome on its own, the data here won't promise you that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chaffey College worth the money compared to other schools?
Chaffey College offers decent value with a net price of $5,743 annually and graduates earning $42,975 after 10 years. The low cost makes it financially accessible, though the 32% graduation rate means many students don't complete their programs.
What is the return on investment for Chaffey College degrees?
With total costs around $11,500 for an associate degree and median earnings of $43,000, students can typically recover their investment within 3-4 years. However, this assumes graduation, which only about one-third of students achieve.
Do Chaffey College graduates have high student debt?
Student debt risk is relatively low at Chaffey College due to the affordable tuition and strong financial aid programs. Most students who complete programs graduate with minimal debt compared to four-year institutions.
Which Chaffey College programs have the best job prospects?
Healthcare programs, automotive technology, and business certificates typically offer the strongest employment outcomes at Chaffey College. These career-focused programs align well with local industry demand in the Inland Empire region.