College of Southern Nevada
- Graduation Rate
- 19% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $38,087 C-
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $6,615 A-
- 61% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 27,252
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 35.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $35.9 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $35.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $923,655.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 19% — 67% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $35.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why College of Southern Nevada Matters
College of Southern Nevada is a public community college in Las Vegas, NV and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
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
- 27,252
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Computer Science & IT, Health Professions, Business & Marketing
Why students choose College of Southern Nevada
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $6,615 a year after grants and scholarships — 61% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $38,087 ten years after enrolling — 7% below the typical college, against $8,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 47% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.01 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of over 27,000 students, the College of Southern Nevada serves a diverse population looking for a path to higher education or career advancement. This is a solid choice for those interested in fields like Humanities, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT, Business & Marketing, and Criminal Justice. It’s a place where students can explore practical skills and gain relevant knowledge for the workforce.
After graduation, students see an average earning of $38,087 within ten years, which gives a sense of the economic potential after completing their studies. The college’s affordability is another plus, with a net price of $6,615 after financial aid. This can make a significant difference for students who are concerned about student debt and future earnings.
When it comes to finances, the average debt load sits at $8,000, which is manageable compared to many other institutions. The 30% Pell Grant rate indicates that a good portion of students here are receiving financial assistance, which can help ease the burden. Those who thrive at the College of Southern Nevada often appreciate a supportive community and a focus on practical education that prepares them for the workforce or further studies.
Can I Get In?
How selective College of Southern Nevada is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into College of Southern Nevada? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, College of Southern Nevada enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 19%.
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,747
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 17:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.73
- First-Gen Students
- 51%
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 College of Southern Nevada? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at College of Southern Nevada is $13,024, 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 $6,615. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,627 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,358
- Out-of-State
- $13,024
- Avg Net Price
- $6,615
- Median Debt
- $8,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 30%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 10%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $5,627
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $6,178
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,793
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,022
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 College of Southern Nevada — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is College of Southern Nevada Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of College of Southern Nevada report median earnings of $38,087, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $31,822
- 8 Years
- $35,472
- 10 Years
- $38,087
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.21x
- Earning > $25K
- 55%
Earnings Trajectory
How College Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is College of Southern Nevada Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, College of Southern Nevada delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,615/year ($26,460 total). Graduates earn $38,087 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $950,115 in total earnings — a net gain of $923,655 (35.9× your investment). The median debt is $8,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 19% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $26,460
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $950,115
- Net Return
- $923,655
- ROI Multiple
- 35.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,615
- Median Debt
- $8,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 19%
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 College of Southern Nevada Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
College of Southern Nevada 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 1.51%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12% 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 12.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.51%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 12.5%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 12.0%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $90,758
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $6,948,000
- Federal Grants
- $9,404,000
Top Programs
The fields College of Southern Nevada 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.
- Humanities 17%
- Computer Science & IT 16% $43,155 early-career
- Health Professions 15% $85,690 early-career
- Business & Marketing 14% $35,271 early-career
- Physical Sciences 7%
- Psychology 5% $18,279 early-career
- Criminal Justice 4% $36,562 early-career
- Education 4% $40,390 early-career
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.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for College of Southern Nevada's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into College of Southern Nevada? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, College of Southern Nevada enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 19%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend College of Southern Nevada? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at College of Southern Nevada is $13,024, 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 $6,615. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,627 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,000 in federal student loans.
Is College of Southern Nevada Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of College of Southern Nevada report median earnings of $38,087, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does College of Southern Nevada Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
College of Southern Nevada 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 1.51%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12% 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 12.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is College of Southern Nevada? 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 College of Southern Nevada. Its economic connectedness score is 1.01, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to College of Southern Nevada.
- Austin Community College DistrictAustin, TX · Close peer19% grad $43,177 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- Fresno City CollegeFresno, CA · Close peer24% grad $37,361 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
- Houston City CollegeHouston, TX · Close peer17% grad $39,254 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Purdue University GlobalWest Lafayette, IN · Close peer49% grad $36,596 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
- Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, CA · Close peer22% grad $37,291 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
- Pikes Peak State CollegeColorado Springs, CO · Close peer22% grad $40,796 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is College of Southern Nevada? 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 College of Southern Nevada. Its economic connectedness score is 1.01, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note