Grossmont College
- Graduation Rate
- 34% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $40,309 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $5,311 A
- 69% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 12,163
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 51.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $51.5 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $51.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,071,863.
What The Data Says
-
A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduation of 34% — 40% below the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $51.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Grossmont College Matters
Grossmont College is a public community college in El Cajon, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. 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
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 12,163
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT
Why students choose Grossmont College
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 $5,311 a year after grants and scholarships — 69% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $40,309 ten years after enrolling — 1% below the typical college, against $8,625 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.24 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Grossmont College serves more than 12,000 students, with a net price of just $5,311, making it an affordable option for many. This low cost is particularly appealing to those looking to minimize debt while pursuing education. The median debt for graduates stands at $8,625, letting students focus on their futures without heavy financial burdens.
Graduates from Grossmont College earn an average of $40,309 ten years after enrollment. While the graduation rate is 34%, many students transfer to four-year institutions, enhancing their educational and career prospects. The Chetty/Opportunity Insights data indicates that the college supports students from diverse backgrounds, including a significant percentage of Pell Grant recipients at 24%. This access can help foster upward mobility, especially for those from lower-income families.
Students thrive here when they engage in programs like Humanities, Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT, and Health Professions. The college attracts individuals who appreciate a supportive environment and a focus on practical skills. Those looking for a pathway to higher education or a solid foundation for a career will find Grossmont College a viable choice.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Grossmont College 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 Grossmont College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in El Cajon, California, Grossmont College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
- Retention Rate
- 71%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 29%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,345
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 19:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.69
- First-Gen Students
- 55%
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 Grossmont College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Grossmont College is $10,628, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,311. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,169 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,625 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,332
- Out-of-State
- $10,628
- Avg Net Price
- $5,311
- Median Debt
- $8,625
- Pell Grant Rate
- 24%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 1%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $4,169
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $4,736
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,761
- Family Income $110K+
- $12,250
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 Grossmont College — 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 Grossmont College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Grossmont College report median earnings of $40,309, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $31,861
- 8 Years
- $36,922
- 10 Years
- $40,309
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.21x
- Earning > $25K
- 46%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (176)
- 11%
- 100% (176)
- 11%
- 100% (176)
- 11%
- 100% (176)
- 11%
How Grossmont 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 Grossmont College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Grossmont College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,311/year ($21,244 total). Graduates earn $40,309 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,093,107 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,071,863 (51.5× your investment). The median debt is $8,625, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 34% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $21,244
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,093,107
- Net Return
- $1,071,863
- ROI Multiple
- 51.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $5,311
- Median Debt
- $8,625
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 34%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $1,974,665
- Federal Grants
- $3,193,133
- Investment Income
- $122,813
Top Programs
The fields Grossmont College 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.
- Humanities 40%
- Business & Marketing 15%
- Social Sciences 7%
- Computer Science & IT 5%
- Health Professions 4% $54,097 early-career
- Criminal Justice 3%
- Psychology 3%
- Visual & Performing Arts 2%
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 Grossmont College'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
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Grossmont College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in El Cajon, California, Grossmont College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Grossmont College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Grossmont College is $10,628, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,311. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,169 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,625 in federal student loans.
Is Grossmont College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Grossmont College report median earnings of $40,309, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
How Connected Is Grossmont College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Grossmont College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.24, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Grossmont College.
- Tulsa Community CollegeTulsa, OK · Close peer28% grad $39,746 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Cosumnes River CollegeSacramento, CA · Close peer36% grad $42,446 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Butte CollegeOroville, CA · Close peer38% grad $41,810 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island City, NY · Close peer25% grad $41,653 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Mt San Jacinto Community College DistrictSan Jacinto, CA · Close peer36% grad $38,319 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, CA · Close peer34% grad $42,975 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Grossmont College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Grossmont College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.24, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note