CET-Watsonville
Watsonville, CA 95076
About CET-Watsonville
CET-Watsonville is a private trade and vocational school in Watsonville, California, enrolling about 142 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. The published completion rate is about 82.67% at 150% of normal time. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $32,986 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 82.67%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $32,986.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at CET-Watsonville is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1486% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| CET-Watsonville | — | $5,198 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| California (state median) | $8,093 | $8,343 | 287 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is CET-Watsonville really?
Key findings
- Average net price runs below the California median net price.
Evidence: average net price at CET-Watsonville versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at CET-Watsonville is $5,198.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $5,198 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $3,145 below the California median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $9,773 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
CET-Watsonville: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for CET-Watsonville—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Avg. net price
$5,198
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $4,468 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $5,514 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $2,895 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $17,525 |
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What CET-Watsonville is known for
Top program completions
- Building Construction Technology/Technician34
- Welding Technology/Welder34
- Medical/Clinical Assistant26
- 05.107113
- Construction Trades, Other6
See earnings & programs for more.
Is CET-Watsonville a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
CET-Watsonville is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for CET-Watsonville.
Campus
Location
Watsonville, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 95076
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 0.3× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Far West
Size
Enrollment
142
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 251
- Full-time share
- 100%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$7,041
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 36.51%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional where not shown.
Tuition vs average net price after aid for CET-Watsonville.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at CET-Watsonville was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for CET-Watsonville in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | — | — | $11,479 |
| 2014 | — | — | $8,540 |
| 2015 | — | — | $4,657 |
| 2016 | — | — | $5,989 |
| 2017 | — | — | $5,689 |
| 2018 | — | — | $3,866 |
| 2019 | — | — | $9,949 |
| 2020 | — | — | $5,868 |
| 2021 | — | — | $13,556 |
| 2022 | — | — | $8,286 |
| 2023 | — | — | $1,532 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
CET-Watsonville reported total enrollment of about 142 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 73% male and 27% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (97.2%), White (0.7%), and Black or African American (0.7%). About 36.51% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 69.3% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
100.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at CET-Watsonville in 2024 is 142 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 251 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
69.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
2.67% 100% Completion Time
82.67% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 2.67% of students graduating from CET-Watsonville completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Building Construction Technology/Technician: 97% male / 3% female
- Welding Technology/Welder: 94% male / 6% female
- Medical/Clinical Assistant: 8% male / 92% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
CET-Watsonville graduates earn a median of $32,986 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of CET-Watsonville.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $32,986. Median federal loan debt: $7,041. Average net price used in cost models: $5,198.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway CET-Watsonville graduates report median earnings of $32,986 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for CET-Watsonville.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 5 programs by IPEDS completions (6 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at CET-Watsonville.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for CET-Watsonville graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for CET-Watsonville—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $11,573
- California median 1.8× the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 1.6× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
CET-Watsonville at a glance
CET-Watsonville
CET-Watsonville is a private non-profit institution in Watsonville, CA.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Building Construction Technology/TechnicianWelding Technology/WelderMedical/Clinical Assistant
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino97.2%White or Caucasian0.7%Black or African American0.7%
Schools near CET-Watsonville
Other campuses in Watsonville, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is CET-Watsonville located?
CET-Watsonville is located in Watsonville, CA.
How much does CET-Watsonville cost?
Reported tuition is N/A and average net price is $5,198 in the latest College Scorecard data.
What explains CET-Watsonville's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($5,198), completion (82.7% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($32,986). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at CET-Watsonville?
CET-Watsonville reports undergraduate enrollment of about 251 students, Hispanic or Latino (97.2%), White (0.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend CET-Watsonville?
About 69.3% of students at CET-Watsonville are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of CET-Watsonville earn?
Median earnings are $33,264 six years after entry and $32,986 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at CET-Watsonville?
The 150%-time completion rate is 82.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do CET-Watsonville students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $7,041.
Is CET-Watsonville public or private?
CET-Watsonville is a private nonprofit institution located in Watsonville, CA.
Is CET-Watsonville an HBCU?
No. CET-Watsonville is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is CET-Watsonville a tribal college?
No. CET-Watsonville is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is CET-Watsonville a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
By the common federal eligibility proxy used here (≥25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard), yes—CET-Watsonville reports 97.2% Hispanic enrollment share.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.