Monterey Peninsula College
- Graduation Rate
- 35% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $42,176 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $11,373 B
- 34% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 5,624
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 23.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $23.9 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $23.9 over 20 years. Net gain: $1,039,998.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 35% — 40% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $23.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Monterey Peninsula College Matters
Monterey Peninsula College is a public community college in Monterey, 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
- 5,624
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing
Why students choose Monterey Peninsula 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 $11,373 a year after grants and scholarships — 34% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $42,176 ten years after enrolling — 3% above the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.8% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 34% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.54 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Monterey Peninsula College serves over 5,600 students, focusing on practical education in fields like Humanities, Health Professions, and Business. With a graduation rate of 35%, students are encouraged to take advantage of smaller class sizes and supportive faculty to improve their academic journey.
The Chetty/Opportunity Insights data is not available for this institution, but students can benefit from a focus on career-oriented programs that may enhance their economic mobility. The college emphasizes pathways in high-demand areas, potentially boosting graduates' job prospects and earnings over time.
Students face a net price of $11,373, which is relatively affordable for higher education. Graduates earn an average of $42,176 within ten years of completing their studies. With a Pell Grant rate of 19%, the college is accessible to low-income students, making it a suitable option for those seeking a supportive environment in a scenic coastal location.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Monterey Peninsula 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 Monterey Peninsula College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Monterey, California, Monterey Peninsula College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
- Retention Rate
- 68%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 39%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,623
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 18:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.64
- First-Gen Students
- 54%
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 Monterey Peninsula College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Monterey Peninsula 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 $11,373. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,451 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,188
- Out-of-State
- $10,572
- Avg Net Price
- $11,373
- Pell Grant Rate
- 19%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 1%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,451
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $10,277
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $13,602
- Family Income $110K+
- $18,340
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 Monterey Peninsula 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 Monterey Peninsula College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Monterey Peninsula College report median earnings of $42,176, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $34,496
- 8 Years
- $39,059
- 10 Years
- $42,176
- Earning > $25K
- 47%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (65)
- 13%
- 100% (65)
- 13%
- 100% (65)
- 13%
- 100% (65)
- 13%
How Monterey Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Monterey Peninsula College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Monterey Peninsula College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $11,373/year ($45,492 total). Graduates earn $42,176 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,085,490 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,039,998 (23.9× your investment).. With a 35% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $45,492
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,085,490
- Net Return
- $1,039,998
- ROI Multiple
- 23.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $11,373
- Graduation Rate
- 35%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Monterey Peninsula College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Monterey Peninsula College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.82%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.82%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 12.8%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 14.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $89,807
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Top Programs
The fields Monterey Peninsula 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 23%
- Health Professions 20%
- Criminal Justice 18%
- Business & Marketing 8%
- Psychology 4%
- Social Sciences 2%
- Visual & Performing Arts 2%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 2%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Monterey Peninsula 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
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- CPurchasing Manager$131,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CAerospace Engineer$130,720 · 6% growthResilient 72
- B+Nurse Practitioner$129,480 · 40% growthResilient 96
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Monterey Peninsula College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Monterey, California, Monterey Peninsula College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Monterey Peninsula College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Monterey Peninsula 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 $11,373. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,451 after need-based grants.
Is Monterey Peninsula College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Monterey Peninsula College report median earnings of $42,176, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Monterey Peninsula College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Monterey Peninsula College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.82%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 12.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Monterey Peninsula 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 Monterey Peninsula College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.54, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Monterey Peninsula College.
- Southern Maine Community CollegeSouth Portland, ME · Close peer24% grad $41,661 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Los Angeles Harbor CollegeWilmington, CA · Close peer36% grad $41,133 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Contra Costa CollegeSan Pablo, CA · Close peer30% grad $40,850 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusSewell, NJ · Close peer36% grad $41,751 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Ocean County CollegeToms River, NJ · Close peer40% grad $45,210 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Linn-Benton Community CollegeAlbany, OR · Close peer27% grad $41,363 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Monterey Peninsula 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 Monterey Peninsula College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.54, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note