Gavilan College
- Graduation Rate
- 43% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $47,169 B-
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $6,542 A-
- 62% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 4,786
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 47.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $47.8 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $47.8 over 20 years. Net gain: $1,225,733.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 43% — 24% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $47.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Gavilan College Matters
Gavilan College is a public community college in Gilroy, CA 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
- 4,786
- Setting
- Rural
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing
Why students choose Gavilan 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 $6,542 a year after grants and scholarships — 62% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $47,169 ten years after enrolling — 16% above the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.8% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 36% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.30 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Gavilan College serves 4,786 students in Gilroy, California, with a net price of just $6,542. This affordable education makes it accessible for many students seeking to improve their lives through higher learning.
According to the latest data from Chetty/Opportunity Insights, the school has a graduation rate of 43%. While specific mobility metrics are not available, this figure suggests that nearly half of the students who enroll successfully complete their programs, which is a critical factor for long-term career success and upward mobility.
Students who thrive at Gavilan College tend to pursue programs in Humanities, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing, and Mechanic & Repair Tech. Graduates earn an average of $47,169 within ten years of completing their studies. This combination of low cost and reasonable post-graduation earnings makes Gavilan College a strong option for students focused on building a stable future.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Gavilan 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 Gavilan College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Gilroy, California, Gavilan College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 43%.
- Retention Rate
- 69%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 23%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,650
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 21:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.52
- First-Gen Students
- 56%
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 Gavilan College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Gavilan College is $12,249, 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 $6,542. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,507 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,508
- Out-of-State
- $12,249
- Avg Net Price
- $6,542
- Pell Grant Rate
- 24%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $5,507
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,759
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,716
- Family Income $110K+
- $11,091
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 Gavilan 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 Gavilan College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Gavilan College earn a median of $47,169, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $37,804
- 8 Years
- $40,875
- 10 Years
- $47,169
- Earning > $25K
- 41%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (63)
- 14%
- 100% (63)
- 14%
- 100% (63)
- 14%
- 100% (63)
- 14%
How Gavilan 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 Gavilan College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Gavilan College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,542/year ($26,168 total). Graduates earn $47,169 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,251,901 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,225,733 (47.8× your investment).. With a 43% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $26,168
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,251,901
- Net Return
- $1,225,733
- ROI Multiple
- 47.8×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,542
- Graduation Rate
- 43%
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 Gavilan College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Gavilan 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 1.77%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.5% 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 15.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $80,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.77%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 15.4%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 11.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $109,371
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Top Programs
The fields Gavilan 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 30%
- Health Professions 13% $91,033 early-career
- Criminal Justice 10% $40,390 early-career
- Business & Marketing 9%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 4%
- Communications 4%
- Psychology 4%
- Culinary & Personal Services 4%
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 Gavilan 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+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- CPurchasing Manager$131,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Gavilan College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Gilroy, California, Gavilan College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 43%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Gavilan College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Gavilan College is $12,249, 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 $6,542. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,507 after need-based grants.
Is Gavilan College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Gavilan College earn a median of $47,169, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Gavilan College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Gavilan 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 1.77%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.5% 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 15.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $80,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Gavilan 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 Gavilan College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.30, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Gavilan College.
- Bucks County Community CollegeNewtown, PA · Close peer30% grad $47,324 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- North Central Texas CollegeGainesville, TX · Close peer35% grad $45,809 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Raritan Valley Community CollegeBranchburg, NJ · Close peer33% grad $48,145 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Mission CollegeSanta Clara, CA · Close peer46% grad $50,936 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright CollegeChicago, IL · Close peer32% grad $41,625 earnWhy: similar size · similar net price
- College of AlamedaAlameda, CA · Close peer34% grad $42,563 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Gavilan 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 Gavilan College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.30, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note