CET-Santa Maria
- Graduation Rate
- 68% B-
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $32,986 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $5,446 A
- 68% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 142
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 30.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.0 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $30.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $632,410.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Every $1 invested returns $30.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why CET-Santa Maria Matters
CET-Santa Maria is a private college in Santa Maria, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by low net price paired with solid completion. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private College
- Enrollment
- 142
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Construction Trades, Business & Marketing
Why students choose CET-Santa Maria
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $5,446 a year after grants and scholarships — 68% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $32,986 ten years after enrolling — 19% below the typical college, against $7,041 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Mobility and social-capital data are limited for this school — see what's reported below.
See mobility →Can I Get In?
How selective CET-Santa Maria is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into CET-Santa Maria? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Santa Maria, California, CET-Santa Maria enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.
- Retention Rate
- 92%
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 18:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.03
- First-Gen Students
- 69%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend CET-Santa Maria? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
The average net price at CET-Santa Maria, the amount students actually pay each year after federal grants and scholarships, is about $5,446. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,846 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,041 in federal student loans.
- Avg Net Price
- $5,446
- Median Debt
- $7,041
- Pell Grant Rate
- 59%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 12%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $4,846
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,802
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,319
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at CET-Santa Maria — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is CET-Santa Maria Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of CET-Santa Maria report median earnings of $32,986, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $33,264
- 8 Years
- $32,555
- 10 Years
- $32,986
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.21x
- Earning > $25K
- 35%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How CET-Santa Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is CET-Santa Maria Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, CET-Santa Maria delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,446/year ($21,784 total). Graduates earn $32,986 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $654,194 in total earnings — a net gain of $632,410 (30.0× your investment). The median debt is $7,041, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 68% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $21,784
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $654,194
- Net Return
- $632,410
- ROI Multiple
- 30.0×
- Cost Per Year
- $5,446
- Median Debt
- $7,041
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 68%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Top Programs
The fields CET-Santa Maria awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 52% $28,633 early-career
- Construction Trades 37% $26,252 early-career
- Business & Marketing 11% $22,023 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for CET-Santa Maria's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- CPurchasing Manager$131,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- B+Nurse Practitioner$129,480 · 40% growthResilient 96
- CTraining Manager$125,040 · 6% growthResilient 74
- CProduct Manager$125,000 · 8% growthAdaptable 52
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into CET-Santa Maria? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Santa Maria, California, CET-Santa Maria enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend CET-Santa Maria? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
The average net price at CET-Santa Maria, the amount students actually pay each year after federal grants and scholarships, is about $5,446. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,846 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,041 in federal student loans.
Is CET-Santa Maria Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of CET-Santa Maria report median earnings of $32,986, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to CET-Santa Maria.
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