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John C Calhoun State Community College

Public Tanner, AL · Urban · Southeast · 87% data
A- Affordability B+ Value C Diversity
Graduation Rate
41% D+
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$38,192 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$7,660 A-
55% less than the typical college
Enrollment
7,070
Earnings -6% vs avg
Graduation -28% vs avg
Net Price +-55% vs avg
Mobility Top 51%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 30.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.2 over 20 years.

30.2× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $30.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $894,457.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 41% — 28% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $30.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About John C Calhoun State Community College

John C Calhoun 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
7,070
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT, Business & Marketing

Why students choose John C Calhoun State Community College

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

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C+
Top 43% overall
C-
Earnings
$38,192 median
B+
Value
5.0× net price
A-
Affordability
$7,660/yr net
D+
Graduation
41% graduate
C
Social Mobility
1.5% climb Q1→Q5
C
Diversity
0.59 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

John C. Calhoun State Community College serves around 7,070 students, making it a significant institution in Tanner, AL. The average earnings for graduates a decade after enrollment stand at $38,192, highlighting the potential for solid financial outcomes for those who complete their studies.

Chetty/Opportunity Insights data sheds light on upward mobility for students at Calhoun. While specific mobility rates are not available, the college's graduation rate of 41% suggests that many students successfully navigate their programs, which can lead to improved economic opportunities. The 30% Pell Grant rate indicates a commitment to supporting low-income students, which is crucial for fostering upward mobility.

The practical aspects of attending Calhoun include a net price of $7,660 and a median debt of $12,000, making it an accessible option for many. Graduates typically enter fields such as health professions, computer science, and business, aligning with the job market's demand. Students who thrive here are often those seeking affordable education with a focus on practical career skills.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective John C Calhoun 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.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into John C Calhoun State Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Tanner, Alabama, John C Calhoun State Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.

Retention Rate
65%
Full-Time Faculty
48%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,595
Student–Faculty Ratio
20:1
Diversity Index
0.59
First-Gen Students
46%

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 John C Calhoun State Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at John C Calhoun State Community College is $8,990, 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 $7,660. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,217 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$5,120
Out-of-State
$8,990
Avg Net Price
$7,660
Median Debt
$12,000
Pell Grant Rate
30%
Federal Loan Rate
18%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$5,217
Family Income $30K–$48K
$6,903
Family Income $48K–$75K
$8,807
Family Income $110K+
$12,404

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 John C Calhoun 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.

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 John C Calhoun State Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of John C Calhoun State Community College report median earnings of $38,192, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$32,579
8 Years
$35,178
10 Years
$38,192
Debt-to-Earnings
0.31x
Earning > $25K
45%

Earnings Trajectory

$32,579 6yr $35,178 8yr $38,192 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (219)
19%
100% (219)
19%
100% (219)
19%
100% (219)
19%

How John Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation41%Earnings 10yr$38KNet Price$8KRetention65%Median Debt$12KPell Grant Rate30%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$5K$0-30K$7K$30-48K$9K$48-75K$12K$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%12.8%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%11.3%MOBILITY1.45%

College ROI Calculator

Is John C Calhoun State Community College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, John C Calhoun State Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,660/year ($30,640 total). Graduates earn $38,192 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $925,097 in total earnings — a net gain of $894,457 (30.2× your investment). The median debt is $12,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 41% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$30,640
Projected 20yr Earnings
$925,097
Net Return
$894,457
ROI Multiple
30.2×
Cost Per Year
$7,660
Median Debt
$12,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
41%

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 John C Calhoun State Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

John C Calhoun 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 1.45%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.8% 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 11.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $72,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.45%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
11.3%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
12.8%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$98,638
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is John C Calhoun 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 around the national average at John C Calhoun State Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.85, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.05), 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.

Economic Connectedness
0.85
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.05
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.0%
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
$7,340,517
Federal Grants
$1,794,077
Investment Income
$-166,459

Top Programs

The fields John C Calhoun 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.

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 John C Calhoun State Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Tanner, Alabama, John C Calhoun State Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend John C Calhoun State Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at John C Calhoun State Community College is $8,990, 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 $7,660. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,217 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,000 in federal student loans.

Is John C Calhoun State Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of John C Calhoun State Community College report median earnings of $38,192, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does John C Calhoun State Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

John C Calhoun 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 1.45%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.8% 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 11.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $72,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is John C Calhoun 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 around the national average at John C Calhoun State Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.85, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.05), 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.

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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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