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Copper Mountain Community College

Public Joshua Tree, CA · Rural · Far West · 80% data
B+ Affordability B Diversity B- Value
Graduation Rate
31% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$33,281 D+
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$9,105 B+
47% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,323
Earnings -18% vs avg
Graduation -46% vs avg
Net Price +-47% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 21.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $21.7 over 20 years.

21.7× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $21.7 over 20 years. Net gain: $752,457.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduation of 31% — 46% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $21.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Copper Mountain Community College Matters

Copper Mountain Community College is a public community college in Joshua Tree, CA 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
1,323
Setting
Rural
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Psychology, Computer Science & IT

Why students choose Copper Mountain Community College

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 47% overall
D+
Earnings
$33,281 median
B-
Value
3.7× net price
B+
Affordability
$9,105/yr net
F
Graduation
31% graduate
B
Diversity
0.69 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Copper Mountain Community College is an appealing choice for students seeking a supportive environment while pursuing studies in fields like Humanities, Health Professions, Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Computer Science & IT. With an enrollment of about 1,323 students, it fosters a close-knit community where personalized attention is a priority. This college is especially suited for those who thrive in smaller settings and want to explore diverse academic pathways.

When we look at what happens after graduation, students earn an average of $33,281 within ten years of completing their studies. This figure gives us a sense of the potential return on investment for those who choose to attend. Considering the affordability of education here, with a net price of $9,105 after financial aid, students can feel confident about their financial future. The fact that 44% of students receive Pell Grants indicates that many are supported in their journey, making education more accessible.

In terms of financial outlook, students at Copper Mountain typically navigate their education with manageable costs. While specific debt figures aren't available, the focus on affordability suggests that students can graduate without overwhelming financial burdens. Those who thrive here are often individuals looking to gain practical skills and knowledge in a community-oriented environment, ready to step into the workforce or continue their education with a strong foundation.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Copper Mountain 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 Copper Mountain Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Copper Mountain Community College, located in Joshua Tree, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 31%.

Retention Rate
67%
Full-Time Faculty
34%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$10,670
Student–Faculty Ratio
13:1
Diversity Index
0.69
First-Gen Students
53%

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 Copper Mountain Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Copper Mountain Community College is $13,570, 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 $9,105. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,655 after need-based grants.

In-State Tuition
$1,390
Out-of-State
$13,570
Avg Net Price
$9,105
Pell Grant Rate
44%
Federal Loan Rate
3%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$8,655
Family Income $30K–$48K
$9,875
Family Income $48K–$75K
$10,383

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 Copper Mountain 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 Copper Mountain Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Copper Mountain Community College report median earnings of $33,281, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$28,840
8 Years
$33,887
10 Years
$33,281
Earning > $25K
48%

Earnings Trajectory

$28,840 6yr $33,887 8yr $33,281 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (13)
12%
100% (13)
12%
100% (13)
12%
100% (13)
12%

How Copper Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation31%Earnings 10yr$33KNet Price$9KRetention67%Pell Grant Rate44%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$9K$0-30K$10K$30-48K$10K$48-75K

College ROI Calculator

Is Copper Mountain Community College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Copper Mountain Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,105/year ($36,420 total). Graduates earn $33,281 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $788,877 in total earnings — a net gain of $752,457 (21.7× your investment).. With a 31% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$36,420
Projected 20yr Earnings
$788,877
Net Return
$752,457
ROI Multiple
21.7×
Cost Per Year
$9,105
Graduation Rate
31%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Copper Mountain Community 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 Copper Mountain Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.04, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), 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
1.04
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.00
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.8%
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 Copper Mountain 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Copper Mountain Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Copper Mountain Community College, located in Joshua Tree, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 31%.

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

Published tuition at Copper Mountain Community College is $13,570, 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 $9,105. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,655 after need-based grants.

Is Copper Mountain Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Copper Mountain Community College report median earnings of $33,281, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

How Connected Is Copper Mountain Community 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 Copper Mountain Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.04, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), 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.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Copper Mountain Community 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.

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