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Central Wyoming College

Public Riverton, WY · Town · Rocky Mountains · 87% data
A Diversity B Social Mobility B- Affordability
Graduation Rate
39% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$34,402 D+
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$11,634 B-
32% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,054
Earnings -16% vs avg
Graduation -32% vs avg
Net Price +-32% vs avg
Mobility Top 22%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 16.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $16.8 over 20 years.

16.8× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $16.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $733,499.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduation of 39% — 32% below the national average.

  3. Social mobility rate of 2.26% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $16.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Central Wyoming College Matters

Central Wyoming College is a public community college in Riverton, WY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network and 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 Community College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
1,054
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Construction Trades, Culinary & Personal Services

Why students choose Central Wyoming College

Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C+
Top 43% overall
D+
Earnings
$34,402 median
C+
Value
3.0× net price
B-
Affordability
$11,634/yr net
D
Graduation
39% graduate
B
Social Mobility
2.3% climb Q1→Q5
A
Diversity
0.81 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Central Wyoming College serves around 1,054 students, making it a cozy option for those seeking a more personalized educational experience. This school is a good fit for individuals looking to dive into practical fields such as Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Precision Production, Education, and Culinary & Personal Services. The focus here is on hands-on training and skills that can lead directly to employment.

Graduating from Central Wyoming College can lead to a decent starting salary, with alumni earning an average of $34,402 after ten years. While the graduation rate sits at 39%, many students find their footing in the workforce with the skills they gain here. The affordability factor is significant, with a net price of $11,634, making it accessible for many who need a more budget-friendly option.

On the financial side, students typically graduate with a median debt of $8,361, which is manageable in comparison to their earnings. Those who thrive here are often motivated individuals seeking practical skills and a clear pathway to employment. With 19% of students receiving Pell Grants, there is some financial support available, making it a viable option for those who may need it.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Central Wyoming 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 Central Wyoming College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Riverton, Wyoming, Central Wyoming College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 39%.

Retention Rate
65%
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,832
Student–Faculty Ratio
14:1
Diversity Index
0.81
First-Gen Students
45%

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 Central Wyoming College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Central Wyoming College is $11,100, 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 $11,634. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,698 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,361 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$4,800
Out-of-State
$11,100
Avg Net Price
$11,634
Median Debt
$8,361
Pell Grant Rate
19%
Federal Loan Rate
10%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$10,698
Family Income $30K–$48K
$10,235
Family Income $48K–$75K
$12,262
Family Income $110K+
$16,891

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 Central Wyoming 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 Central Wyoming College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Central Wyoming College report median earnings of $34,402, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$30,833
8 Years
$33,292
10 Years
$34,402
Debt-to-Earnings
0.24x
Earning > $25K
45%

Earnings Trajectory

$30,833 6yr $33,292 8yr $34,402 10yr

How Central Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation39%Earnings 10yr$34KNet Price$12KRetention65%Median Debt$8KPell Grant Rate19%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$11K$0-30K$10K$30-48K$12K$48-75K$17K$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%19.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%11.7%MOBILITY2.26%

College ROI Calculator

Is Central Wyoming College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Central Wyoming College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $11,634/year ($46,536 total). Graduates earn $34,402 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $780,035 in total earnings — a net gain of $733,499 (16.8× your investment). The median debt is $8,361, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 39% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$46,536
Projected 20yr Earnings
$780,035
Net Return
$733,499
ROI Multiple
16.8×
Cost Per Year
$11,634
Median Debt
$8,361
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
39%

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 Central Wyoming College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Central Wyoming 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 2.26%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 19.4% 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 11.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $52,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.26%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
11.7%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
19.4%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$70,786
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Central Wyoming College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Central Wyoming College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.07, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.06). Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.07
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.06
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
7.1%
Support Ratio
0.99
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$4,819,131

Top Programs

The fields Central Wyoming 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 Central Wyoming College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Riverton, Wyoming, Central Wyoming College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 39%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Central Wyoming College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Central Wyoming College is $11,100, 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 $11,634. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,698 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,361 in federal student loans.

Is Central Wyoming College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Central Wyoming College report median earnings of $34,402, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Central Wyoming College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Central Wyoming 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 2.26%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 19.4% 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 11.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $52,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Central Wyoming College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Central Wyoming College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.07, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.06). Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Central Wyoming 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