At $25,595/yr net price, San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario graduates earn $38,317/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $4,317/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $25,595 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $102,380 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,317/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$4,317/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 23.7 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 65.9% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $10,674 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $24,707/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $24,733/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $26,082/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,491/yr |
| $110,001+ | $29,486/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Associate | $74,747 | $20,000 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions. | Associate | $66,150 | $20,000 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | Associate | $58,719 | $22,250 |
| Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies. | Certificate | $46,869 | $9,500 |
| Construction Management. | Associate | $44,170 | $19,130 |
| Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies. | Associate | $43,798 | |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR). | Certificate | $39,009 | $13,000 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR). | Associate | $34,921 | $19,584 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | Associate | $28,666 | $19,125 |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services. | Associate | $26,313 | $19,950 |
The Risk Factor
65.9% of students at San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario graduate within 6 years. A significant share of students finish, but roughly 34% do not complete their degree.
Analysis
The financial return at San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario depends entirely on which program you pick. The school-wide median earnings ten years out sit below what a single year of net price costs, and that gap tells you the average outcome here is weak. But averages hide a split: the health programs pay, and most everything else drags the number down.
Nursing is the clear winner. It pays nearly double the school median, and even with $20,000 in debt, those earnings clear the cost fast. Dental support and allied health diagnostics land in the same tier, paying enough to justify their debt loads. If you're coming here for any of these three, the math works.
The trades tell a different story. Heavy equipment maintenance carries the lowest debt of any top program at $9,500, and its certificate earnings beat construction management, which loads you with almost twice the debt for less pay. If you want the trades path, the equipment certificate is the smarter buy here.
The main risk is paying $25,595 a year for a program outside the top health tier. This is a for-profit two-year school, and the school-wide earnings show that a degree here does not guarantee a return. The 65.9% graduation rate is decent for the sector, but finishing a low-earning program still leaves you underwater.
Net price barely moves by income. A family under $30k pays about $24,707, and a family over $110k pays $29,486 , roughly a $5,000 spread across the entire income range. There is little tuition relief for lower-income families here, so the sticker cost hits everyone hard.
Come here for nursing or allied health, and the numbers make sense. For anything else, price out cheaper community college options first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario worth the tuition cost?
The value depends heavily on your program choice. Nursing graduates earn $74,747 annually, making the $25,595 yearly cost worthwhile, but other programs may not provide strong returns given the median graduate earns just $38,317.
What are the best paying programs at San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario?
Registered Nursing leads at $74,747 annually, followed by Dental Support Services at $66,150 and Allied Health programs at $58,719. Construction Management and equipment maintenance programs earn significantly less at around $44,000-$47,000.
How much student debt do San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario graduates have?
The median debt is relatively low at $10,674, which helps offset concerns about the modest $38,317 median earnings for most graduates.
Does San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario have good graduation rates?
The 66% graduation rate is reasonable for a career college, though one-third of students don't complete their programs.