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Barstow Community College

Public Barstow, CA · Town · Far West · 80% data
A Social Mobility B Diversity B- Affordability
Graduation Rate
36% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$35,104 D+
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$12,773 B-
25% less than the typical college
Enrollment
2,657
Earnings -14% vs avg
Graduation -37% vs avg
Net Price +-25% vs avg
Mobility Top 6%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 16.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $16.3 over 20 years.

16.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $16.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $779,432.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 36% — 37% below the national average.

  3. Social mobility rate of 3.49% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $16.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Barstow Community College Matters

Barstow Community College is a public college in Barstow, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
2,657
Setting
Town
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Mechanic & Repair Tech, Business & Marketing, Humanities, Criminal Justice

Why students choose Barstow Community College

Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Strength in Mechanic & Repair Tech
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 43% overall
D+
Earnings
$35,104 median
C
Value
2.7× net price
B-
Affordability
$12,773/yr net
D
Graduation
36% graduate
A
Social Mobility
3.5% climb Q1→Q5
B
Diversity
0.70 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Barstow Community College serves 2,657 students and has a graduation rate of 36%. This figure highlights the challenges many students face in completing their degrees. However, for those seeking a path to higher education, this college can be a stepping stone.

Data from Opportunity Insights shows that graduates from Barstow Community College earn an average of $35,104 ten years after enrollment. While this may not place them at the top tier of earnings, it reflects a significant return on investment for students with low median debt of just $3,500. Nearly half of the student body relies on Pell Grants, indicating strong support for low-income students.

The cost of attendance sits at a net price of $12,773, making it a more affordable option for many. Students thrive in programs like Business & Marketing, Humanities, and Mechanic & Repair Tech. Barstow Community College is best suited for those who value practical skills and are looking to enter the workforce or transfer to a four-year institution.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Barstow Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Barstow Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Barstow Community College, located in Barstow, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.

Retention Rate
67%
Full-Time Faculty
21%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$11,382
Student–Faculty Ratio
21:1
Diversity Index
0.70
First-Gen Students
53%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Barstow Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Barstow Community College is $9,744, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $12,773. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,239 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $3,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$1,104
Out-of-State
$9,744
Avg Net Price
$12,773
Median Debt
$3,500
Pell Grant Rate
49%
Federal Loan Rate
12%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$12,239
Family Income $30K–$48K
$11,957
Family Income $48K–$75K
$14,229
Family Income $110K+
$20,351

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Barstow Community College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Barstow Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Barstow Community College report median earnings of $35,104, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$30,462
8 Years
$31,793
10 Years
$35,104
Debt-to-Earnings
0.1x
Earning > $25K
41%

Earnings Trajectory

$30,462 6yr $31,793 8yr $35,104 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (50)
19%
100% (50)
19%
100% (50)
19%
100% (50)
19%

How Barstow Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation36%Earnings 10yr$35KNet Price$13KRetention67%Median Debt$4KPell Grant Rate49%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$12K$0-30K$12K$30-48K$14K$48-75K$20K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%18.9%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%18.4%MOBILITY3.49%

College ROI Calculator

Is Barstow Community College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Barstow Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $12,773/year ($51,092 total). Graduates earn $35,104 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $830,524 in total earnings — a net gain of $779,432 (16.3× your investment). The median debt is $3,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 36% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$51,092
Projected 20yr Earnings
$830,524
Net Return
$779,432
ROI Multiple
16.3×
Cost Per Year
$12,773
Median Debt
$3,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
36%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Barstow Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Barstow Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.49%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.9% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
3.49%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
18.4%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
18.9%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$78,802
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
$919,514
Federal Grants
$3,106,883
Investment Income
$-468,709

Top Programs

The fields Barstow Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Barstow Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Barstow Community College, located in Barstow, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Barstow Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Barstow Community College is $9,744, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $12,773. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,239 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $3,500 in federal student loans.

Is Barstow Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Barstow Community College report median earnings of $35,104, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Barstow Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Barstow Community College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 3.49%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.9% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Barstow Community College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys