Gadsden State Community College
#6 Most Affordable HBCUs- Graduation Rate
- 35% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $32,937 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $3,515 A
- 79% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 3,548
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 52.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $52.5 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Most Affordable HBCUs.
Every $1 spent returns $52.5 over 20 years. Net gain: $724,036.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 35% — 38% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $52.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Gadsden State Community College
Gadsden State Community College 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 College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 3,548
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HBCU
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Mechanic & Repair Tech, Humanities, Culinary & Personal Services
Why students choose Gadsden State 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 $3,515 a year after grants and scholarships — 79% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $32,937 ten years after enrolling — 19% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.0% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 29% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.75 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Gadsden State Community College has a net price of just $3,515, making it one of the more affordable options in Alabama for students seeking higher education. This low cost can be a game changer for many, allowing students to minimize debt while pursuing their academic goals.
The college has a graduation rate of 35%. This figure suggests that while many students begin their journey at Gadsden State, completing a degree remains a challenge for some. However, the school does serve a significant number of Pell Grant recipients, indicating a commitment to supporting low-income students. This context is essential for understanding the environment and challenges students may face.
With a 10-year earnings average of $32,937, graduates can expect to see a reasonable return on their investment. Programs in Health Professions, Mechanic & Repair Tech, and Culinary Services stand out, attracting students looking for practical skills that lead to immediate employment. Gadsden State caters to those who thrive in hands-on learning environments and value affordability.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Gadsden State 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 Gadsden State Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Gadsden, Alabama, Gadsden State Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
- Retention Rate
- 62%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 50%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,442
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 17:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.52
- 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 Gadsden State Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Gadsden State Community College is $7,368, 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 $3,515. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,438 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,272
- Out-of-State
- $7,368
- Avg Net Price
- $3,515
- Pell Grant Rate
- 46%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $3,438
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $2,617
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $5,330
- Family Income $110K+
- $8,944
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 Gadsden State 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 Gadsden State Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Gadsden State Community College report median earnings of $32,937, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $29,795
- 8 Years
- $31,231
- 10 Years
- $32,937
- Earning > $25K
- 38%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (165)
- 19%
- 100% (165)
- 19%
- 100% (165)
- 19%
- 100% (165)
- 19%
How Gadsden 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 Gadsden State Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Gadsden State Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $3,515/year ($14,060 total). Graduates earn $32,937 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $738,096 in total earnings — a net gain of $724,036 (52.5× your investment).. With a 35% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $14,060
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $738,096
- Net Return
- $724,036
- ROI Multiple
- 52.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $3,515
- Graduation Rate
- 35%
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 Gadsden State Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Gadsden State 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 1.96%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21.8% 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 9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $52,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.96%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 9.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 21.8%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $70,650
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $3,461,273
- Investment Income
- $-596,016
Top Programs
The fields Gadsden State 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.
- Health Professions 27% $61,601 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 19% $54,760 early-career
- Humanities 13%
- Culinary & Personal Services 8% $26,097 early-career
- Precision Production 7% $42,718 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 6%
- Business & Marketing 5% $23,634 early-career
- Legal Studies 1%
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 Gadsden State 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 Gadsden State Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Gadsden, Alabama, Gadsden State Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Gadsden State Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Gadsden State Community College is $7,368, 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 $3,515. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,438 after need-based grants.
Is Gadsden State Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Gadsden State Community College report median earnings of $32,937, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Gadsden State Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Gadsden State 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 1.96%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21.8% 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 9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $52,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Gadsden State 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 Gadsden State Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.75, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Gadsden State Community College.
- Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeBowling Green, KY · Close peer55% grad $34,242 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Savannah Technical CollegeSavannah, GA · Close peer40% grad $33,018 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Somerset Community CollegeSomerset, KY · Close peer42% grad $30,787 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Northwest Shoals Community CollegeMuscle Shoals, AL · Close peer36% grad $33,828 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · same state
- Mohave Community CollegeKingman, AZ · Close peer35% grad $35,522 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- North Georgia Technical CollegeClarkesville, GA · Close peer38% grad $32,932 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Gadsden State 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 Gadsden State Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.75, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note