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CollegeRanker
Public Los Angeles, CA · Urban · Far West · 87% data
B Affordability B Diversity B- Value
Graduation Rate
27% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$36,190 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$10,261 B
40% less than the typical college
Enrollment
11,198
Earnings -11% vs avg
Graduation -53% vs avg
Net Price +-40% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 23.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $23.6 over 20 years. Ranked #8 in Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in California.

23.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $23.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $927,218.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 27% — 53% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $23.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About Los Angeles City College

Los Angeles City College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.

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
11,198
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Visual & Performing Arts

Why students choose Los Angeles City College

Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 48% overall
C-
Earnings
$36,190 median
B-
Value
3.5× net price
B
Affordability
$10,261/yr net
F
Graduation
27% graduate
B
Diversity
0.68 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Los Angeles City College serves nearly 12,000 students. With a graduation rate of 27%, it presents challenges for those seeking timely completion. Yet, it remains a significant hub for diverse programs, attracting students interested in fields like Health Professions and the Arts.

According to Opportunity Insights data, Los Angeles City College does not report specific mobility metrics. However, the earnings potential for graduates stands at $36,190 after ten years. This suggests that while many students may face barriers, those who persist can still find pathways to financial stability.

Attending LACC costs an average of $10,261 per year, with a median debt of $12,750. The college caters well to students seeking affordable education, particularly those who are eligible for Pell Grants, which apply to 26% of the student body. Those who thrive here often pursue practical degrees in high-demand fields, balancing affordability with career-focused training.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Los Angeles City College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Los Angeles City College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles City College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 27%.

Retention Rate
67%
Full-Time Faculty
35%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$12,693
Student–Faculty Ratio
27:1
Diversity Index
0.68
First-Gen Students
59%

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 Los Angeles City College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Los Angeles City College is $10,572, 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 $10,261. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,814 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,750 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$1,238
Out-of-State
$10,572
Avg Net Price
$10,261
Median Debt
$12,750
Pell Grant Rate
26%
Federal Loan Rate
4%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$9,814
Family Income $30K–$48K
$10,076
Family Income $48K–$75K
$11,783

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 Los Angeles City College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Los Angeles City College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Los Angeles City College report median earnings of $36,190, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$28,854
8 Years
$32,385
10 Years
$36,190
Debt-to-Earnings
0.35x
Earning > $25K
40%

Earnings Trajectory

$28,854 6yr $32,385 8yr $36,190 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (74)
9%
100% (74)
9%
100% (74)
9%
100% (74)
9%

How Los Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation27%Earnings 10yr$36KNet Price$10KRetention67%Median Debt$13KPell Grant Rate26%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$10K$0-30K$10K$30-48K$12K$48-75K

College ROI Calculator

Is Los Angeles City College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Los Angeles City College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $10,261/year ($41,044 total). Graduates earn $36,190 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $968,262 in total earnings — a net gain of $927,218 (23.6× your investment). The median debt is $12,750, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 27% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$41,044
Projected 20yr Earnings
$968,262
Net Return
$927,218
ROI Multiple
23.6×
Cost Per Year
$10,261
Median Debt
$12,750
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
27%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Los Angeles City College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Los Angeles City College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.08). Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.79
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.08
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
3.3%
Support Ratio
0.78
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Top Programs

The fields Los Angeles City 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Los Angeles City College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles City College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 27%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Los Angeles City College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Los Angeles City College is $10,572, 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 $10,261. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,814 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,750 in federal student loans.

Is Los Angeles City College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Los Angeles City College report median earnings of $36,190, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

How Connected Is Los Angeles City College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Los Angeles City College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.08). Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Los Angeles City College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys