McLennan Community College
#7 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Texas- Graduation Rate
- 37% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $39,163 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $5,051 A
- 71% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 5,668
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 48.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $48.6 over 20 years. Ranked #7 in Best Online Computer Science Programs in Texas.
Every $1 spent returns $48.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $962,396.
What The Data Says
-
A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 37% — 35% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $48.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About McLennan Community College
McLennan 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 Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 5,668
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice
Why students choose McLennan 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 $5,051 a year after grants and scholarships — 71% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $39,163 ten years after enrolling — 4% below the typical college, against $10,500 in median debt.
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 (0.95 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With nearly 5,700 students enrolled, McLennan Community College is a great fit for those looking for a welcoming, community-oriented environment. Students here often dive into programs like Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice, and Computer Science & IT. This diversity in studies allows individuals to explore various career paths while receiving hands-on experience in their fields.
Graduates from McLennan can expect to earn an average of $39,163 a decade after finishing their programs. This figure illustrates that students can find meaningful employment, particularly in the fields they study. The college's affordability is another plus, with a net price of just $5,051 after aid. Many students benefit from Pell Grants, which are awarded to 38% of attendees, helping to lessen the financial burden as they embark on their careers.
When it comes to the practicalities of attending McLennan, the average student graduates with about $10,500 in debt. This manageable amount means that graduates can start their careers without being weighed down by excessive loans. Those who thrive here are often driven individuals looking for a supportive community and a clear pathway to their chosen professions.
Rankings
- #7 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Texas
- #7 Best Online Education Programs in Texas
- #7 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Texas
- #9 Best Online Business Programs in Texas
- #9 Best Online Nursing Programs in Texas
- #15 Most Affordable Colleges in Texas
- #22 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Texas
- #24 Best Nursing Colleges in Texas
Can I Get In?
How selective McLennan 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 McLennan Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Waco, Texas, McLennan Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 37%.
- Retention Rate
- 69%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 51%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,839
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 15:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.68
- 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 McLennan Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at McLennan Community College is $5,910, 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 $5,051. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,053 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $3,660
- Out-of-State
- $5,910
- Avg Net Price
- $5,051
- Median Debt
- $10,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 38%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 20%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $5,053
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $4,987
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 McLennan 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 McLennan Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of McLennan Community College report median earnings of $39,163, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $32,591
- 8 Years
- $35,589
- 10 Years
- $39,163
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.27x
- Earning > $25K
- 50%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (153)
- 15%
- 100% (153)
- 15%
- 100% (153)
- 15%
- 100% (153)
- 15%
How McLennan 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 McLennan Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, McLennan Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,051/year ($20,204 total). Graduates earn $39,163 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $982,600 in total earnings — a net gain of $962,396 (48.6× your investment). The median debt is $10,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 37% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $20,204
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $982,600
- Net Return
- $962,396
- ROI Multiple
- 48.6×
- Cost Per Year
- $5,051
- Median Debt
- $10,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 37%
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 McLennan Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
McLennan 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 1.77%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.9% 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 9.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.77%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 9.4%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 18.9%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $74,318
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $224,327
Top Programs
The fields McLennan 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.
- Humanities 36%
- Health Professions 25% $67,416 early-career
- Business & Marketing 16% $39,544 early-career
- Criminal Justice 7% $33,550 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 4%
- Culinary & Personal Services 3% $22,629 early-career
- Engineering 2%
- Education 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 McLennan 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
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into McLennan Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Waco, Texas, McLennan Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 37%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend McLennan Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at McLennan Community College is $5,910, 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 $5,051. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,053 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,500 in federal student loans.
Is McLennan Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of McLennan Community College report median earnings of $39,163, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does McLennan Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
McLennan 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 1.77%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.9% 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 9.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is McLennan 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 McLennan Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.95, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.09). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to McLennan Community College.
- Bristol Community CollegeFall River, MA · Close peer22% grad $38,663 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Chattanooga State Community CollegeChattanooga, TN · Close peer24% grad $37,598 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Germanna Community CollegeLocust Grove, VA · Close peer42% grad $39,644 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Springfield Technical Community CollegeSpringfield, MA · Close peer29% grad $36,966 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Rowan College at Burlington CountyMount Laurel, NJ · Close peer37% grad $44,745 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- Camden County CollegeBlackwood, NJ · Close peer32% grad $41,212 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is McLennan 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 McLennan Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.95, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.09). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note