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George C Wallace Community College-Dothan

#5 Most Affordable Colleges in Alabama
Public Dothan, AL · Urban · Southeast · 73% data
A+ Value A+ Affordability C+ Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
31% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$31,399 D
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$1,170 A+
93% less than the typical college
Enrollment
3,017
Earnings -23% vs avg
Graduation -45% vs avg
Net Price +-93% vs avg
Mobility Top 36%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 150.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $150.2 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Most Affordable Colleges in Alabama.

150.2× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $150.2 over 20 years. Net gain: $698,104.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduate earnings fall 23% below the national college median.

  3. Graduation of 31% — 45% below the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $150.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About George C Wallace Community College-Dothan

George C Wallace Community College-Dothan 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
3,017
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Computer Science & IT, Precision Production

Why students choose George C Wallace Community College-Dothan

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C+
Top 40% overall
D
Earnings
$31,399 median
A+
Value
26.8× net price
A+
Affordability
$1,170/yr net
F
Graduation
31% graduate
C+
Social Mobility
1.8% climb Q1→Q5
C+
Diversity
0.62 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With a net price of just $1,170, George C Wallace Community College-Dothan stands out as one of the most affordable options for students in Alabama. This low cost makes it accessible for many, particularly those who may be concerned about accumulating debt while pursuing their education.

The college serves a diverse student body, with 47% of students receiving Pell Grants. While the graduation rate sits at 31%, the focus on practical programs like Health Professions and Culinary Services signals a commitment to workforce readiness. The earnings ten years post-graduation average around $31,399, which indicates a solid return on investment for students entering the job market.

Students who thrive here are often those seeking vocational training or looking to transfer to four-year institutions. The college emphasizes practical skills and career-oriented education, making it a good fit for individuals ready to jumpstart their professional lives in fields with high demand.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective George C Wallace Community College-Dothan 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 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Dothan, Alabama, George C Wallace Community College-Dothan enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 31%.

Retention Rate
62%
Full-Time Faculty
79%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,406
Student–Faculty Ratio
14:1
Diversity Index
0.62
First-Gen Students
49%

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 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at George C Wallace Community College-Dothan is $8,850, 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 $1,170. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,199 after need-based grants.

In-State Tuition
$4,980
Out-of-State
$8,850
Avg Net Price
$1,170
Pell Grant Rate
47%
Federal Loan Rate
0%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$1,199
Family Income $30K–$48K
$852
Family Income $48K–$75K
$1,432
Family Income $110K+
$-5,124

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 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan — 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 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of George C Wallace Community College-Dothan report median earnings of $31,399, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$28,431
8 Years
$30,306
10 Years
$31,399
Earning > $25K
37%

Earnings Trajectory

$28,431 6yr $30,306 8yr $31,399 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (100)
15%
100% (100)
15%
100% (100)
15%
100% (100)
15%

How George Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation31%Earnings 10yr$31KNet Price$1KRetention62%Pell Grant Rate47%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$1K$0-30K$1K$30-48K$1K$48-75K$-5K$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%14.7%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%12.1%MOBILITY1.78%

College ROI Calculator

Is George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, George C Wallace Community College-Dothan delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $1,170/year ($4,680 total). Graduates earn $31,399 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $702,784 in total earnings — a net gain of $698,104 (150.2× your investment).. With a 31% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$4,680
Projected 20yr Earnings
$702,784
Net Return
$698,104
ROI Multiple
150.2×
Cost Per Year
$1,170
Graduation Rate
31%

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 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

George C Wallace Community College-Dothan 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 1.78%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.7% 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 12.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.78%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
12.1%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
14.7%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$79,481
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is George C Wallace Community College-Dothan? 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 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan. Its economic connectedness score is 0.83, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.10). Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.83
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.10
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
3.3%
Support Ratio
0.98
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

Endowment
$160,538
Federal Grants
$8,440,471
Investment Income
$45,713

Top Programs

The fields George C Wallace Community College-Dothan 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 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Dothan, Alabama, George C Wallace Community College-Dothan enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 31%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend George C Wallace Community College-Dothan? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at George C Wallace Community College-Dothan is $8,850, 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 $1,170. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,199 after need-based grants.

Is George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of George C Wallace Community College-Dothan report median earnings of $31,399, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

George C Wallace Community College-Dothan 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 1.78%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.7% 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 12.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is George C Wallace Community College-Dothan? 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 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan. Its economic connectedness score is 0.83, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.10). Around 3% 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

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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.

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