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Frederick Community College

#6 Best Business Colleges in Maryland
Public Frederick, MD · Urban · Mid-Atlantic · 87% data
B+ Value B Affordability B Diversity
Graduation Rate
36% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$46,449 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$9,465 B
45% less than the typical college
Enrollment
4,203
Earnings +14% vs avg
Graduation -37% vs avg
Net Price +-45% vs avg
Mobility Top 85%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 31.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $31.5 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Best Business Colleges in Maryland.

31.5× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $31.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,152,842.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduation of 36% — 37% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $31.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Frederick Community College Matters

Frederick Community College is a public community college in Frederick, MD 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 Community College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
4,203
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Health Professions

Why students choose Frederick Community College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C+
Top 44% overall
C+
Earnings
$46,449 median
B+
Value
4.9× net price
B
Affordability
$9,465/yr net
D
Graduation
36% graduate
F
Social Mobility
0.9% climb Q1→Q5
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

With an enrollment of about 4,200 students, Frederick Community College is an excellent fit for those looking for a nurturing environment to explore their interests and develop practical skills. Here, students often dive into programs like Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Social Sciences, and Computer Science & IT. The focus is on creating pathways that lead directly to careers or further education, making it a solid choice for individuals looking to build a foundation in their chosen fields.

After graduation, students can expect to earn around $46,449 a year, which is a reasonable starting point for many. Although the graduation rate sits at 36%, those who complete their programs have opportunities to advance their careers and increase their income over time. Affordability is also a plus, with a net price of $9,465 after aid, allowing students to pursue their education without overwhelming financial burdens.

When it comes to cost, the median debt for graduates is $8,150, which is manageable for many. This financial landscape suggests that students who thrive here are often those who are motivated, pragmatic, and ready to take advantage of the supportive community. The relatively low debt and attainable pricing make Frederick Community College a sensible choice for students who are looking to gain skills and start their careers without incurring significant financial strain.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Frederick 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 Frederick Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Frederick, Maryland, Frederick Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.

Retention Rate
66%
Full-Time Faculty
25%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,936
Student–Faculty Ratio
16:1
Diversity Index
0.69
First-Gen Students
43%

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 Frederick Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Frederick Community College is $10,042, 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 $9,465. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,640 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,150 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$3,849
Out-of-State
$10,042
Avg Net Price
$9,465
Median Debt
$8,150
Pell Grant Rate
16%
Federal Loan Rate
8%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$6,640
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,893
Family Income $48K–$75K
$9,519
Family Income $110K+
$13,919

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 Frederick 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 Frederick Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Frederick Community College earn a median of $46,449, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$38,093
8 Years
$41,355
10 Years
$46,449
Debt-to-Earnings
0.18x
Earning > $25K
56%

Earnings Trajectory

$38,093 6yr $41,355 8yr $46,449 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (120)
16%
100% (120)
16%
100% (120)
16%
100% (120)
16%

How Frederick Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation36%Earnings 10yr$46KNet Price$9KRetention66%Median Debt$8KPell Grant Rate16%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$7K$0-30K$8K$30-48K$10K$48-75K$14K$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%5.0%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%16.9%MOBILITY0.85%

College ROI Calculator

Is Frederick Community College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Frederick Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $9,465/year ($37,860 total). Graduates earn $46,449 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,190,702 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,152,842 (31.5× your investment). The median debt is $8,150, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 36% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$37,860
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,190,702
Net Return
$1,152,842
ROI Multiple
31.5×
Cost Per Year
$9,465
Median Debt
$8,150
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
36%

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 Frederick Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Frederick Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.85%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 16.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $90,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
0.85%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
16.9%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
5.0%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$123,501
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Frederick Community 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 Frederick Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.53, 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
1.53
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.1%
Support Ratio
0.99
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).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$7,049,795
Investment Income
$54,847

Top Programs

The fields Frederick 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.

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 Frederick Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Frederick, Maryland, Frederick Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.

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

Published tuition at Frederick Community College is $10,042, 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 $9,465. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,640 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,150 in federal student loans.

Is Frederick Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Frederick Community College earn a median of $46,449, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Frederick Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Frederick Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.85%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 16.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $90,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Frederick Community 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 Frederick Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.53, 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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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.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys