Garden City Community College
#4 Best Online Colleges in Kansas- Graduation Rate
- 46% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $41,704 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $8,244 B+
- 52% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 1,474
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 32.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $32.0 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Best Online Colleges in Kansas.
Every $1 spent returns $32.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,022,796.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 46% — 20% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $32.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Garden City Community College Matters
Garden City Community College is a public college in Garden City, KS and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity 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 College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 1,474
- Setting
- Town
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Precision Production, Culinary & Personal Services
Why students choose Garden City 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 $8,244 a year after grants and scholarships — 52% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $41,704 ten years after enrolling — 2% above the typical college, against $6,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 60% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.31 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Garden City Community College has a net price of just $8,244, making it an accessible option for students seeking higher education without breaking the bank. With a focus on practical programs like Health Professions and Mechanic & Repair Tech, this college aims to equip students with skills that lead to stable employment.
Data from Opportunity Insights shows that graduates from Garden City Community College earn a median income of $41,704 ten years after enrollment. While the graduation rate stands at 46%, the college attracts a diverse student body, including a significant number of Pell Grant recipients—29%—indicating its commitment to serving students from lower-income backgrounds.
Students who thrive here often appreciate hands-on learning and seek to enter fields like business, health, or technical trades. The median debt for graduates is relatively low at $6,500, which suggests that students can manage their financial commitments without overwhelming burdens. Garden City Community College is a practical choice for those looking to gain skills and enter the workforce efficiently.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Garden City 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 Garden City Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Garden City, Kansas, Garden City Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 46%.
- Retention Rate
- 67%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 100%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,166
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.68
- First-Gen Students
- 48%
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 Garden City Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Garden City Community College is $4,320, 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 $8,244. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,672 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $3,690
- Out-of-State
- $4,320
- Avg Net Price
- $8,244
- Median Debt
- $6,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 29%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 11%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $6,672
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $7,191
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $9,191
- Family Income $110K+
- $12,430
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 Garden City 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 Garden City Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Garden City Community College report median earnings of $41,704, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $34,493
- 8 Years
- $39,511
- 10 Years
- $41,704
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.16x
- Earning > $25K
- 50%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (162)
- 37%
- 100% (162)
- 37%
- 100% (162)
- 37%
- 100% (162)
- 37%
How Garden 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 Garden City Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Garden City Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $8,244/year ($32,976 total). Graduates earn $41,704 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,055,772 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,022,796 (32.0× your investment). The median debt is $6,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 46% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $32,976
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,055,772
- Net Return
- $1,022,796
- ROI Multiple
- 32.0×
- Cost Per Year
- $8,244
- Median Debt
- $6,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 46%
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 Garden City Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Garden City 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 1.28%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.5% 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 8.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.28%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 8.8%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 14.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $78,802
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $6,923,250
- Federal Grants
- $5,552,340
- Investment Income
- $15,213
Top Programs
The fields Garden City 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 41%
- Health Professions 36% $58,542 early-career
- Precision Production 5%
- Culinary & Personal Services 2% $21,125 early-career
- Criminal Justice 2%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 2%
- Construction Trades 1%
- Computer Science & IT 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 Garden City Community College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- 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
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
- CAerospace Engineer$130,720 · 6% growthResilient 72
- C+Blockchain Developer$130,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Garden City Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Garden City, Kansas, Garden City Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 46%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Garden City Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Garden City Community College is $4,320, 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 $8,244. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,672 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,500 in federal student loans.
Is Garden City Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Garden City Community College report median earnings of $41,704, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Garden City Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Garden City 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 1.28%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.5% 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 8.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Garden City 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 Garden City Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.31, 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 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Garden City Community College.
- Arkansas State University-NewportNewport, AR · Close peer44% grad $41,524 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Cowley County Community CollegeArkansas City, KS · Close peer46% grad $37,723 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Sauk Valley Community CollegeDixon, IL · Close peer50% grad $40,458 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Seward County Community CollegeLiberal, KS · Close peer48% grad $41,445 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- North Iowa Area Community CollegeMason City, IA · Close peer58% grad $43,462 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
- New River Community CollegeDublin, VA · Close peer47% grad $40,025 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Garden City 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 Garden City Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.31, 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 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note