Eastern Shore Community College
#9 Most Affordable Colleges in Virginia- Graduation Rate
- 38% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $32,418 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $2,495 A+
- 85% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 495
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 68.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $68.7 over 20 years. Ranked #9 in Most Affordable Colleges in Virginia.
Every $1 spent returns $68.7 over 20 years. Net gain: $676,005.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduate earnings fall 21% below the national college median.
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Graduation of 38% — 33% below the national average.
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Social mobility rate of 2.56% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $68.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Eastern Shore Community College Matters
Eastern Shore Community College is a public college in Melfa, VA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by 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 College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 495
- Setting
- Rural
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Mechanic & Repair Tech, Precision Production
Why students choose Eastern Shore Community College
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 $2,495 a year after grants and scholarships — 85% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $32,418 ten years after enrolling — 21% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.6% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 16% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.59 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of just 495 students, Eastern Shore Community College offers a close-knit environment ideal for those seeking personalized attention and a supportive learning atmosphere. This school is particularly suited for students interested in practical fields like Health Professions, Humanities, Mechanic & Repair Tech, Precision Production, and Business & Marketing. If you're looking for a place where you can get hands-on training and build strong connections with faculty, this could be a great fit.
After graduation, students can expect to earn about $32,418 within ten years, which is a solid starting point for many. The affordability of the school is a real plus, with a net price of just $2,495 after financial aid, making it accessible to a wide range of students. While we don’t have mobility data, the earnings suggest that graduates are finding ways to establish themselves in their chosen fields, which is encouraging for future students.
In terms of the practicalities, Eastern Shore Community College is a budget-friendly option. The low net price means less financial strain, allowing students to focus on their studies rather than overwhelming debt. Those who tend to thrive here are often driven, hands-on learners who appreciate a community-oriented approach to education. If that sounds like you, this might be a good place to start your journey.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Eastern Shore Community College 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 Eastern Shore Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Eastern Shore Community College, located in Melfa, Virginia, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 38%.
- Retention Rate
- 67%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 40%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,214
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 16:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.71
- First-Gen Students
- 63%
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 Eastern Shore Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Eastern Shore Community College is $11,520, 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 $2,495. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,054 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,082
- Out-of-State
- $11,520
- Avg Net Price
- $2,495
- Pell Grant Rate
- 40%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $2,054
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $1,726
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $3,793
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 Eastern Shore Community College — 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 Eastern Shore Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Eastern Shore Community College report median earnings of $32,418, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $30,763
- 8 Years
- $31,002
- 10 Years
- $32,418
- Earning > $25K
- 38%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (15)
- 26%
- 100% (15)
- 26%
- 100% (15)
- 26%
- 100% (15)
- 26%
How Eastern 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 Eastern Shore Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Eastern Shore Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $2,495/year ($9,980 total). Graduates earn $32,418 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $685,985 in total earnings — a net gain of $676,005 (68.7× your investment).. With a 38% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $9,980
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $685,985
- Net Return
- $676,005
- ROI Multiple
- 68.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $2,495
- Graduation Rate
- 38%
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 Eastern Shore Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Eastern Shore Community 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 2.56%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 37% 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 6.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $35,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.56%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 6.9%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 37.0%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $48,640
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $1,331,733
- Total Expenses
- $8,056,768
- Federal Grants
- $797,846
- Investment Income
- $747
Top Programs
The fields Eastern Shore 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.
- Humanities 25%
- Health Professions 23%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 17%
- Precision Production 8%
- Business & Marketing 4%
- Computer Science & IT 2%
- Education 0%
- Criminal Justice 0%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Eastern Shore Community College'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
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Eastern Shore Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Eastern Shore Community College, located in Melfa, Virginia, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 38%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Eastern Shore Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Eastern Shore Community College is $11,520, 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 $2,495. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,054 after need-based grants.
Is Eastern Shore Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Eastern Shore Community College report median earnings of $32,418, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Eastern Shore Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Eastern Shore Community 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 2.56%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 37% 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 6.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $35,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Eastern Shore Community College? 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 Eastern Shore Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.59, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.05). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Eastern Shore Community College.
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- Luna Community CollegeLas Vegas, NM · Close peer33% grad $32,461 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Arkansas State University Mid-SouthWest Memphis, AR · Close peer54% grad $31,857 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
- Mountain Gateway Community CollegeClifton Forge, VA · Close peer42% grad $34,293 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Florida Panhandle Technical CollegeChipley, FL · Close peer41% grad $32,320 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Eastern Shore Community College? 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 Eastern Shore Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.59, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.05). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note