Head-to-head comparison
Grossmont College vs Allan Hancock College: which has better ROI?
Option A El Cajon, CA
Grossmont College
- Net price / year
- $5,311
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,309
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Santa Maria, CA
Allan Hancock College
- Net price / year
- $5,383
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,786
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Allan Hancock College comes closer — median earnings $42,786 against a $21,532 total, vs $40,309 at Grossmont College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Grossmont College | Allan Hancock College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,311 | $5,383 |
| Total net cost | $10,622 | $21,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,309 | $42,786 |
| Median debt | $8,625 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$171,642 | -$133,012 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Grossmont College or Allan Hancock College?
Grossmont College, at $5,311 a year after aid versus $5,383 — a gap of $72 a year, or $10,910 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 Grossmont College or Allan Hancock College graduates earn more?
Allan Hancock College graduates report a median $42,786 ten years after entry, $2,477 more than the $40,309 at Grossmont 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?
37% of students finish at Grossmont 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.