California State University-East Bay — ROI, Cost & Payback
California State University-East Bay charges a net price of $9,320/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $37,280. Graduates earn a median $71,401 ten years after entry, $23,041/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 1.6 years — a 20-year net return of $423,540, a strong payback — the degree clears its cost fast. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
California State University-East Bay's 1.6-year payback ranks #43 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 97% of them, and #14 of 334 in California.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,320/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $37,280 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $71,401 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $23,041/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $16,544 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 1.6 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $423,540 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 4 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.