Imperial Valley College
- Graduation Rate
- 45% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $34,487 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $1,115 A+
- 93% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 7,652
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 200.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $200.0 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $200.0 over 20 years. Net gain: $887,534.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 45% — 21% below the national average.
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Social mobility rate of 4.82% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $200.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Imperial Valley College Matters
Imperial Valley College is a public community college in Imperial, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.
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
- 7,652
- Setting
- Rural
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Criminal Justice, Health Professions, Psychology
Why students choose Imperial Valley 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 $1,115 a year after grants and scholarships — 93% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $34,487 ten years after enrolling — 15% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 4.8% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 2% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.10 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Imperial Valley College serves over 7,600 students with a net price of just $1,115, making it one of the most affordable options in California. This low cost opens doors for students from diverse backgrounds to pursue higher education without overwhelming debt.
According to Opportunity Insights data, students from low-income families who attend Imperial Valley College have a significant chance of upward economic mobility. While specific mobility rates are not available, the college’s commitment to supporting its students through programs in humanities, criminal justice, health professions, psychology, and social sciences contributes to positive outcomes for many graduates.
Graduates earn an average of $34,487 within ten years of completing their studies. With a graduation rate of 45% and a Pell Grant rate of 51%, the college caters to a population that often faces financial barriers. Students who thrive here are typically those who are motivated to improve their circumstances and take advantage of the supportive community and academic programs available.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Imperial Valley 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 Imperial Valley College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Imperial, California, Imperial Valley College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 45%.
- Retention Rate
- 76%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 57%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,544
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 31:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.21
- First-Gen Students
- 61%
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 Imperial Valley College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Imperial Valley College is $8,852, 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 $1,115. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,112 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,148
- Out-of-State
- $8,852
- Avg Net Price
- $1,115
- Pell Grant Rate
- 51%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $1,112
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 Imperial Valley 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 Imperial Valley College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Imperial Valley College report median earnings of $34,487, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $28,114
- 8 Years
- $33,537
- 10 Years
- $34,487
- Earning > $25K
- 32%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (204)
- 18%
- 100% (204)
- 18%
- 100% (204)
- 18%
- 100% (204)
- 18%
How Imperial Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
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 Imperial Valley College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Imperial Valley College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $1,115/year ($4,460 total). Graduates earn $34,487 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $891,994 in total earnings — a net gain of $887,534 (200.0× your investment).. With a 45% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $4,460
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $891,994
- Net Return
- $887,534
- ROI Multiple
- 200.0×
- Cost Per Year
- $1,115
- Graduation Rate
- 45%
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 Imperial Valley College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Imperial Valley 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 4.82%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 35.9% 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 13.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $34,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 4.82%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 13.4%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 35.9%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $46,602
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $2,439,942
- Investment Income
- $-3,193,311
Top Programs
The fields Imperial Valley 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 34%
- Criminal Justice 8% $21,143 early-career
- Health Professions 7% $77,515 early-career
- Psychology 7% $13,033 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 5%
- Social Sciences 5%
- Business & Marketing 5%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 2%
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 Imperial Valley 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 Imperial Valley College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Imperial, California, Imperial Valley College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 45%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Imperial Valley College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Imperial Valley College is $8,852, 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 $1,115. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,112 after need-based grants.
Is Imperial Valley College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Imperial Valley College report median earnings of $34,487, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Imperial Valley College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Imperial Valley 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 4.82%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 35.9% 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 13.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $34,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Imperial Valley College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Imperial Valley College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.10, 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 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Imperial Valley College.
- Victor Valley CollegeVictorville, CA · Close peer45% grad $36,119 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Cuyamaca CollegeEl Cajon, CA · Close peer37% grad $32,435 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Laney CollegeOakland, CA · Strong match34% grad $37,282 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · same state
- Hartnell CollegeSalinas, CA · Strong match35% grad $44,316 earnWhy: similar size · same state
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegePerkinston, MS · Strong match47% grad $33,017 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Hudson County Community CollegeJersey City, NJ · Strong match24% grad $34,333 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Imperial Valley College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Imperial Valley College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.10, 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 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note