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Chippewa Valley Technical College

Public Eau Claire, WI · Urban · Great Lakes · 87% data
B Value B- Affordability C+ Earnings
Graduation Rate
48% C-
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$46,297 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$12,285 B-
28% less than the typical college
Enrollment
4,272
Earnings +14% vs avg
Graduation -16% vs avg
Net Price +-28% vs avg
Mobility Top 40%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 20.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $20.1 over 20 years.

20.1× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $20.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $938,364.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Every $1 invested returns $20.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Chippewa Valley Technical College Matters

Chippewa Valley Technical College is a public college in Eau Claire, WI and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

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

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
4,272
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Mechanic & Repair Tech, Precision Production

Why students choose Chippewa Valley Technical College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C+
Top 44% overall
C+
Earnings
$46,297 median
B
Value
3.8× net price
B-
Affordability
$12,285/yr net
C-
Graduation
48% graduate
C+
Social Mobility
1.7% climb Q1→Q5
D
Diversity
0.30 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of around 4,272 students, Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, WI, is an excellent fit for those seeking hands-on training in practical fields. Students here often dive into programs like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Computer Science, among others. What stands out is the college's focus on career-specific skills, allowing students to transition smoothly into the workforce.

Looking at outcomes, graduates can expect to earn an average of $46,297 within ten years of finishing their studies. This figure gives a good sense of what a Chippewa Valley degree can mean in terms of financial mobility. The affordability of education here is also worth noting, with a net price of $12,285 after aid, making it accessible for a range of students.

In terms of managing debt, the median debt for graduates sits at $11,432, which is relatively manageable compared to many other institutions. Those who thrive at Chippewa Valley tend to be individuals who appreciate a practical, skills-based approach to learning and are looking to enter the workforce quickly. With a graduation rate of 48%, it’s clear that while some may struggle, many find their path and succeed in their chosen fields.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Chippewa Valley Technical 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 Chippewa Valley Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Chippewa Valley Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 48%.

Retention Rate
72%
Full-Time Faculty
48%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$8,348
Student–Faculty Ratio
14:1
Diversity Index
0.30
First-Gen Students
39%

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 Chippewa Valley Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Chippewa Valley Technical College is $7,087, 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 $12,285. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,483 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,432 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$4,844
Out-of-State
$7,087
Avg Net Price
$12,285
Median Debt
$11,432
Pell Grant Rate
17%
Federal Loan Rate
17%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$9,483
Family Income $30K–$48K
$9,105
Family Income $48K–$75K
$11,868
Family Income $110K+
$16,821

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 Chippewa Valley Technical 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 Chippewa Valley Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Chippewa Valley Technical College earn a median of $46,297, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$43,630
8 Years
$44,075
10 Years
$46,297
Debt-to-Earnings
0.25x
Earning > $25K
62%

Earnings Trajectory

$43,630 6yr $44,075 8yr $46,297 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (198)
31%
100% (198)
31%
100% (198)
31%
100% (198)
31%

How Chippewa Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation48%Earnings 10yr$46KNet Price$12KRetention72%Median Debt$11KPell Grant Rate17%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$9K$0-30K$9K$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%10.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%16.2%MOBILITY1.68%

College ROI Calculator

Is Chippewa Valley Technical College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Chippewa Valley Technical College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $12,285/year ($49,140 total). Graduates earn $46,297 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $987,504 in total earnings — a net gain of $938,364 (20.1× your investment). The median debt is $11,432, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 48% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$49,140
Projected 20yr Earnings
$987,504
Net Return
$938,364
ROI Multiple
20.1×
Cost Per Year
$12,285
Median Debt
$11,432
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
48%

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 Chippewa Valley Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Chippewa Valley Technical 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 1.68%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 10.4% 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 16.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.68%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
16.2%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
10.4%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$90,894
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Chippewa Valley Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Chippewa Valley Technical College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.44, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.44
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.9%
Support Ratio
0.98
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).

Top Programs

The fields Chippewa Valley Technical 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 Chippewa Valley Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Chippewa Valley Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 48%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Chippewa Valley Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Chippewa Valley Technical College is $7,087, 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 $12,285. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,483 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,432 in federal student loans.

Is Chippewa Valley Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Chippewa Valley Technical College earn a median of $46,297, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Chippewa Valley Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Chippewa Valley Technical 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 1.68%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 10.4% 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 16.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Chippewa Valley Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Chippewa Valley Technical College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.44, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Chippewa Valley Technical College.

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

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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.

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