Lake Tahoe Community College
- Graduation Rate
- 43% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $36,657 C-
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $8,516 B+
- 50% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 3,660
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 26.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $26.8 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $26.8 over 20 years. Net gain: $877,473.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 43% — 24% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $26.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Lake Tahoe Community College Matters
Lake Tahoe Community College is a public community college in South Lake Tahoe, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average 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 Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 3,660
- Setting
- Rural
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing, Education
Why students choose Lake Tahoe 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 $8,516 a year after grants and scholarships — 50% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $36,657 ten years after enrolling — 10% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.4% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 54% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.09 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Lake Tahoe Community College serves 3,660 students, offering a personalized learning environment in a picturesque setting. With a graduation rate of 43%, the college emphasizes support for students to complete their programs and enter the workforce quickly.
Chetty/Opportunity Insights data on mobility is not available for this institution, but students can expect a practical education that leads to relevant job skills. Graduates from Lake Tahoe Community College earn a median income of $36,657 ten years after enrollment, allowing for a stable entry into the job market.
The net price for attending Lake Tahoe Community College is $8,516, making it a cost-effective option for many students. While only 13% of the student body receives Pell Grants, the college's focus on programs like Social Sciences, Business & Marketing, and Criminal Justice attracts a diverse range of students. This environment is ideal for those seeking a close-knit community and a clear path to employment.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Lake Tahoe 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 Lake Tahoe Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in South Lake Tahoe, California, Lake Tahoe Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 43%.
- Retention Rate
- 45%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 17%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,705
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 17:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.74
- First-Gen Students
- 47%
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 Lake Tahoe Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Lake Tahoe Community College is $11,103, 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 $8,516. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,025 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,131
- Out-of-State
- $11,103
- Avg Net Price
- $8,516
- Pell Grant Rate
- 13%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 2%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $8,025
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $8,109
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $9,140
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 Lake Tahoe 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 Lake Tahoe Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Lake Tahoe Community College report median earnings of $36,657, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $30,695
- 8 Years
- $37,715
- 10 Years
- $36,657
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 18%
- Earning > $25K
- 53%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (33)
- 28%
- 100% (33)
- 28%
- 100% (33)
- 28%
- 100% (33)
- 28%
How Lake 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 Lake Tahoe Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Lake Tahoe Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $8,516/year ($34,064 total). Graduates earn $36,657 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $911,537 in total earnings — a net gain of $877,473 (26.8× 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)
- $34,064
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $911,537
- Net Return
- $877,473
- ROI Multiple
- 26.8×
- Cost Per Year
- $8,516
- 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 Lake Tahoe Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Lake Tahoe 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 1.40%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.2% 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 9.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $64,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.40%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 9.8%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 14.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $87,769
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $3,549,395
- Federal Grants
- $3,009,646
- Investment Income
- $74,082
Top Programs
The fields Lake Tahoe 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.
- Social Sciences 27%
- Criminal Justice 12%
- Business & Marketing 11%
- Education 11%
- Health Professions 7%
- Psychology 6%
- Humanities 4%
- Computer Science & IT 3%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Lake Tahoe Community 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
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Lake Tahoe Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in South Lake Tahoe, California, Lake Tahoe Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 43%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Lake Tahoe Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Lake Tahoe Community College is $11,103, 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 $8,516. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,025 after need-based grants.
Is Lake Tahoe Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Lake Tahoe Community College report median earnings of $36,657, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Lake Tahoe Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Lake Tahoe 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 1.40%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.2% 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 9.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $64,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Lake Tahoe Community 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 Lake Tahoe Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.09, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.06). Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Lake Tahoe Community College.
- Holyoke Community CollegeHolyoke, MA · Close peer31% grad $37,277 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- College of the RedwoodsEureka, CA · Close peer30% grad $36,243 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · same state
- Parkland CollegeChampaign, IL · Close peer32% grad $38,320 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Northwest Mississippi Community CollegeSenatobia, MS · Close peer44% grad $36,396 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Moberly Area Community CollegeMoberly, MO · Close peer43% grad $37,537 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Atlantic Cape Community CollegeMays Landing, NJ · Close peer27% grad $34,241 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Lake Tahoe Community 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 Lake Tahoe Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.09, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.06). Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note