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Barton County Community College

Public Great Bend, KS · Rural · Plains · 87% data
A- Social Mobility B Affordability B Value
Graduation Rate
38% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$40,428 C
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$9,905 B
42% less than the typical college
Enrollment
2,455
Earnings -1% vs avg
Graduation -34% vs avg
Net Price +-42% vs avg
Mobility Top 14%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 23.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $23.3 over 20 years.

23.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $23.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $881,573.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduation of 38% — 34% below the national average.

  3. Social mobility rate of 2.68% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $23.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Barton County Community College Matters

Barton County Community College is a public college in Great Bend, KS 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
2,455
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Precision Production, Transportation

Why students choose Barton County Community College

Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C+
Top 38% overall
C
Earnings
$40,428 median
B
Value
4.1× net price
B
Affordability
$9,905/yr net
D
Graduation
38% graduate
A-
Social Mobility
2.7% climb Q1→Q5
C
Diversity
0.60 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Over 2,400 students choose Barton County Community College each year, making it a significant hub for education in Great Bend, Kansas. This community college emphasizes accessibility and affordability with a net price of $9,905, which is lower than many similar institutions.

Graduates from Barton County earn a median salary of $40,428 within ten years of completing their program. While the graduation rate stands at 38%, the college focuses on helping students from diverse backgrounds, with 19% of students receiving Pell Grants. This highlights the institution’s role in supporting those who may need financial assistance while pursuing their education.

Students who thrive here often focus on practical fields such as Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Psychology. The median debt of $9,501 suggests that students can graduate with manageable financial obligations. Barton County Community College serves as a stepping stone for those looking to enhance their skills or continue their education further.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Barton County 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 Barton County Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Great Bend, Kansas, Barton County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 38%.

Retention Rate
52%
Full-Time Faculty
97%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,723
Student–Faculty Ratio
18:1
Diversity Index
0.60
First-Gen Students
46%

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 Barton County Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Barton County Community College is $4,960, 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 $9,905. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,020 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,501 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$3,680
Out-of-State
$4,960
Avg Net Price
$9,905
Median Debt
$9,501
Pell Grant Rate
19%
Federal Loan Rate
8%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$10,020
Family Income $30K–$48K
$8,027
Family Income $48K–$75K
$10,270
Family Income $110K+
$11,147

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 Barton County 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 Barton County Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Barton County Community College report median earnings of $40,428, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$36,095
8 Years
$38,581
10 Years
$40,428
Debt-to-Earnings
0.24x
Earning > $25K
55%

Earnings Trajectory

$36,095 6yr $38,581 8yr $40,428 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (141)
39%
100% (141)
39%
100% (141)
39%
100% (141)
39%

How Barton Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation38%Earnings 10yr$40KNet Price$10KRetention52%Median Debt$10KPell Grant Rate19%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$10K$0-30K$8K$30-48K$10K$48-75K$11K$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%18.6%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%14.4%MOBILITY2.68%

College ROI Calculator

Is Barton County Community College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Barton County Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,905/year ($39,620 total). Graduates earn $40,428 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $921,193 in total earnings — a net gain of $881,573 (23.3× your investment). The median debt is $9,501, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 38% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$39,620
Projected 20yr Earnings
$921,193
Net Return
$881,573
ROI Multiple
23.3×
Cost Per Year
$9,905
Median Debt
$9,501
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
38%

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 Barton County Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Barton County 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 2.68%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.6% 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 14.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $52,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.68%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
14.4%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
18.6%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$71,465
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$5,271,794
Investment Income
$65,765

Top Programs

The fields Barton County 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.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based in Great Bend, Kansas, Barton County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 38%.

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

Published tuition at Barton County Community College is $4,960, 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 $9,905. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,020 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,501 in federal student loans.

Is Barton County Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Barton County Community College report median earnings of $40,428, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

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

Barton County 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 2.68%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.6% 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 14.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $52,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

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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