Accounting at CET-San Jose

CET-San Jose's accounting certificate ranks in the bottom 10% of California accounting programs, with graduates earning less than $15,000 annually—barely above minimum wage even in the state's lowest-cost regions, let alone in San Jose where a living wage exceeds $50,000. While the $6,729 debt load seems modest in absolute terms, it represents nearly half a year's earnings for typical graduates. Compare this to other California community colleges like Cabrillo, where accounting certificate holders earn $57,000, or even the state median of $27,620. Students here are earning roughly half what they could at the typical California program.

The modest 11% earnings growth over four years offers little hope for catching up—graduates still make just $16,580 four years out, meaning they'd need nearly 15 years of equivalent growth just to reach what average California accounting certificate holders earn in year one. For context, California has 133 accounting certificate programs; this one trails 90% of them. Even CET's own El Centro campus produces identical outcomes in a lower-cost-of-living area.

For a San Jose-based family, this program represents an especially poor value. Your child would likely need additional education or training to reach livable wages in the area, making this certificate more of a financial detour than a pathway to accounting work. Look instead at the many California community colleges delivering substantially better outcomes at similar or lower debt levels.