Mendocino College
#1 Best Community Colleges for Nursing- Graduation Rate
- 28% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $40,243 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $8,330 B+
- 51% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 2,870
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 30.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.5 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Community Colleges for Nursing.
Every $1 spent returns $30.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $984,195.
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 28% — 50% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $30.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Mendocino College
Mendocino 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
- 2,870
- Setting
- Rural
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Humanities, Psychology
Why students choose Mendocino 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 $8,330 a year after grants and scholarships — 51% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $40,243 ten years after enrolling — 1% below the typical college, against $10,836 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 61% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.79 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Mendocino College serves about 2,870 students and has a net price of $8,330, making it an affordable option for many. The low tuition allows students to focus on their education without the burden of excessive debt. With a median debt of $10,836, graduates can enter the workforce with less financial stress.
Ten years after graduation, alumni earn a median salary of $40,243. While the graduation rate sits at 28%, the school supports diverse programs, including Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Humanities, Psychology, and Criminal Justice. This range of offerings attracts students from various backgrounds, contributing to a vibrant campus life.
Students who thrive here are those looking for a community-focused environment and practical career training. With 28% of students receiving Pell Grants, many come from low-income backgrounds. The college's emphasis on accessible education helps students build a pathway to better economic outcomes.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Mendocino 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 Mendocino College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Ukiah, California, Mendocino College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 28%.
- Retention Rate
- 63%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 20%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $13,904
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 14:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.72
- First-Gen Students
- 54%
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 Mendocino College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Mendocino College is $10,003, 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 $8,330. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,306 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,836 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,423
- Out-of-State
- $10,003
- Avg Net Price
- $8,330
- Median Debt
- $10,836
- Pell Grant Rate
- 28%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 3%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $7,306
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,869
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $10,025
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Mendocino College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Mendocino College report median earnings of $40,243, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $33,313
- 8 Years
- $36,657
- 10 Years
- $40,243
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.27x
- Earning > $25K
- 41%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (11)
- 7%
- 100% (11)
- 7%
- 100% (11)
- 7%
- 100% (11)
- 7%
How Mendocino 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 Mendocino College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Mendocino College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $8,330/year ($33,320 total). Graduates earn $40,243 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,017,515 in total earnings — a net gain of $984,195 (30.5× your investment). The median debt is $10,836, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 28% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $33,320
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,017,515
- Net Return
- $984,195
- ROI Multiple
- 30.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $8,330
- Median Debt
- $10,836
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 28%
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 Mendocino College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Mendocino 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 1.26%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21% 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 6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $51,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.26%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 6.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 21.0%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $51,900
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $4,929,673
- Investment Income
- $98,154
Top Programs
The fields Mendocino College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
- Health Professions 35%
- Business & Marketing 25%
- Humanities 8%
- Psychology 6%
- Criminal Justice 4%
- Computer Science & IT 2%
- Visual & Performing Arts 2%
- Social Sciences 1%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Mendocino 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 Mendocino College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Ukiah, California, Mendocino College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 28%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Mendocino College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Mendocino College is $10,003, 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 $8,330. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,306 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,836 in federal student loans.
Is Mendocino College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Mendocino College report median earnings of $40,243, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Mendocino College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Mendocino 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 1.26%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21% 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 6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $51,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Mendocino College? 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 Mendocino College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Mendocino College.
- Mount Wachusett Community CollegeGardner, MA · Close peer27% grad $41,118 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Mohawk Valley Community CollegeUtica, NY · Close peer36% grad $39,850 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- SUNY Broome Community CollegeBinghamton, NY · Close peer23% grad $39,710 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Woodland Community CollegeWoodland, CA · Close peer40% grad $40,042 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar net price · same state
- Central Maine Community CollegeAuburn, ME · Close peer29% grad $42,448 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Luzerne County Community CollegeNanticoke, PA · Close peer22% grad $40,437 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Mendocino College? 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 Mendocino College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note