Head-to-head comparison
Allan Hancock College vs San Jose City College: which has better ROI?
Option A Santa Maria, CA
Allan Hancock College
- Net price / year
- $5,383
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,786
- Payback
- No payback
Option B San Jose, CA
San Jose City College
- Net price / year
- $16,959
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,215
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but San Jose City College comes closer — median earnings $46,215 against a $33,918 total, vs $42,786 at Allan Hancock College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Allan Hancock College | San Jose City College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,383 | $16,959 |
| Total net cost | $21,532 | $33,918 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,786 | $46,215 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$133,012 | -$76,818 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Allan Hancock College or San Jose City College?
Allan Hancock College, at $5,383 a year after aid versus $16,959 — a gap of $11,576 a year, or $12,386 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Allan Hancock College or San Jose City College graduates earn more?
San Jose City College graduates report a median $46,215 ten years after entry, $3,429 more than the $42,786 at Allan Hancock College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
34% of students finish at San Jose City College, against 26% at Allan Hancock College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.