Private nonprofit · Mostly certificates · Midsize city

CET-Santa Maria

Santa Maria, California. 142 undergraduates.

72%Graduation rate1 pts above the national median for similar colleges (71%)
$8,372Average net price per year53% below the national median for similar colleges ($17,716)
$39,846Median earnings 10 years after starting9% above the national median for similar colleges ($36,576)
$7,685Median debt at graduation19% below the national median for similar colleges ($9,500)
Our read

Graduates' median debt ($7,685) equals 19% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($39,846). That is a light load relative to pay.

What families actually pay

Under $30,000$11,040
$30,000–$48,000$8,096
$48,001–$75,000$4,503
$75,001–$110,000$5,228

Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate72%71%
Return for second year92%77%
Median earnings, 6 years after starting$39,316$33,491
Median earnings, 10 years after starting$39,846$36,576
Median debt at graduation$7,685$9,500

Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly certificates).

Programs and what graduates earn

3 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection24$35,524$40,237$9,500
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services70$36,000$36,273$6,423
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services4$32,060$32,194$7,248

Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.

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Quick answers

How much does CET-Santa Maria cost per year?
The average net price at CET-Santa Maria, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $8,372 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do CET-Santa Maria graduates earn?
Former CET-Santa Maria students earn a median of $39,846 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What is the graduation rate at CET-Santa Maria?
72% of CET-Santa Maria students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do CET-Santa Maria graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from CET-Santa Maria is $7,685. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.