College of the Redwoods
- Graduation Rate
- 30% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $36,243 C-
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $6,904 A-
- 60% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 3,829
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 30.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.5 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $30.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $813,869.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 30% — 48% below the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $30.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About College of the Redwoods
College of the Redwoods is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.
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
- 3,829
- Setting
- Rural
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT
Why students choose College of the Redwoods
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 $6,904 a year after grants and scholarships — 60% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $36,243 ten years after enrolling — 11% below the typical college, against $8,080 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.4% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 53% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.61 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Thirty percent of students at the College of the Redwoods graduate within three years. This figure highlights the challenges many students face in completing their programs. However, the school serves a diverse population with a focus on community and support.
According to recent data, graduates earn an average of $36,243 ten years after starting their education. While specific mobility rates are not available, the school is a key player in the local economy, helping many students from low-income backgrounds, with approximately 38% receiving Pell Grants. This suggests that the college plays a role in enhancing economic opportunity for its students.
The net price for attending the College of the Redwoods is $6,904, and the median debt for graduates is $8,080. This combination of affordability and manageable debt can be appealing for students seeking practical pathways to employment. Those who thrive here often come from diverse backgrounds and are focused on programs in humanities, health professions, business, and technology.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective College of the Redwoods 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 the Redwoods? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Eureka, California, College of the Redwoods enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 30%.
- Retention Rate
- 56%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 39%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,402
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 15:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.68
- First-Gen Students
- 47%
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 the Redwoods? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at College of the Redwoods is $8,854, 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 $6,904. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,940 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,080 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,198
- Out-of-State
- $8,854
- Avg Net Price
- $6,904
- Median Debt
- $8,080
- Pell Grant Rate
- 38%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 6%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $5,940
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $6,486
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,836
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,192
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 the Redwoods — 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 the Redwoods Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of College of the Redwoods report median earnings of $36,243, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $31,896
- 8 Years
- $32,987
- 10 Years
- $36,243
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.22x
- Earning > $25K
- 40%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (42)
- 9%
- 100% (42)
- 9%
- 100% (42)
- 9%
- 100% (42)
- 9%
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 the Redwoods Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, College of the Redwoods delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,904/year ($27,616 total). Graduates earn $36,243 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $841,485 in total earnings — a net gain of $813,869 (30.5× your investment). The median debt is $8,080, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 30% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $27,616
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $841,485
- Net Return
- $813,869
- ROI Multiple
- 30.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,904
- Median Debt
- $8,080
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 30%
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 the Redwoods Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
College of the Redwoods 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 1.41%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.8% 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 7.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $59,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.41%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 7.5%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 18.8%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $81,383
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $3,422,881
- Federal Grants
- $6,912,637
- Investment Income
- $194,832
Top Programs
The fields College of the Redwoods 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 27%
- Health Professions 14% $85,045 early-career
- Business & Marketing 6% $38,698 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 6%
- Precision Production 4%
- Psychology 3%
- Construction Trades 3%
- Visual & Performing Arts 2%
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 the Redwoods'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
- 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
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into College of the Redwoods? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Eureka, California, College of the Redwoods enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 30%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend College of the Redwoods? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at College of the Redwoods is $8,854, 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 $6,904. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,940 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,080 in federal student loans.
Is College of the Redwoods Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of College of the Redwoods report median earnings of $36,243, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does College of the Redwoods Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
College of the Redwoods 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 1.41%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.8% 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 7.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $59,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is College of the Redwoods? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at College of the Redwoods. Its economic connectedness score is 0.61, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.08). Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to College of the Redwoods.
- City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington CollegeChicago, IL · Close peer27% grad $36,531 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Virginia Peninsula Community CollegeHampton, VA · Close peer34% grad $37,996 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Holyoke Community CollegeHolyoke, MA · Close peer31% grad $37,277 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Lake Tahoe Community CollegeSouth Lake Tahoe, CA · Close peer43% grad $36,657 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · same state
- Atlantic Cape Community CollegeMays Landing, NJ · Close peer27% grad $34,241 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Northeast State Community CollegeBlountville, TN · Close peer33% grad $34,553 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is College of the Redwoods? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at College of the Redwoods. Its economic connectedness score is 0.61, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.08). Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note