Montgomery College
#3 Most Affordable Colleges in Maryland- Graduation Rate
- 30% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $50,159 B-
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $8,027 B+
- 53% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 13,773
Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 44.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $44.9 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Most Affordable Colleges in Maryland.
Every $1 spent returns $44.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,408,709.
What The Data Says
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A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Earnings 23% above the national college median.
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Graduation of 30% — 48% below the national average.
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Social mobility rate of 3.04% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $44.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Montgomery College Matters
Montgomery College is a public community college in Rockville, MD and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
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
- 13,773
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Health Professions
Why students choose Montgomery 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 $8,027 a year after grants and scholarships — 53% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $50,159 ten years after enrolling — 23% above the typical college, against $10,415 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 3.0% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 10% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.62 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Montgomery College in Rockville, MD, is a solid choice for students seeking a diverse educational experience. With nearly 14,000 enrolled, it caters to a wide range of interests, especially in fields like Humanities, Computer Science and IT, Business and Marketing, Health Professions, and Visual and Performing Arts. This mix of programs reflects a commitment to practical skills and career readiness that many students find appealing as they consider their future pathways.
When it comes to life after graduation, students can expect to earn about $50,159 within ten years of completing their degrees. This figure is a helpful benchmark, indicating that many graduates find stable employment and can move up economically over time. The affordability of the college is also noteworthy, with a net price around $8,027 after aid. This makes it an accessible option for many, especially those who may be concerned about student debt.
Speaking of debt, students here tend to leave with a median debt of $10,415, which is relatively manageable, especially given the earnings potential. Around 27% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating that the college attracts a diverse student body, including those from lower-income backgrounds. Overall, Montgomery College seems to be a good fit for individuals looking for an affordable education that leads to solid job opportunities and a supportive environment.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Montgomery 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 Montgomery College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Rockville, Maryland, Montgomery College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 30%.
- Retention Rate
- 75%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 31%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $9,386
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 16:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.79
- First-Gen Students
- 44%
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 Montgomery College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Montgomery College is $14,250, 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 $8,027. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,932 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,415 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,394
- Out-of-State
- $14,250
- Avg Net Price
- $8,027
- Median Debt
- $10,415
- Pell Grant Rate
- 27%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 6%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $6,932
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $7,163
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,558
- Family Income $110K+
- $14,146
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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Montgomery College earn a median of $50,159, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $38,251
- 8 Years
- $44,765
- 10 Years
- $50,159
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.21x
- Earning > $25K
- 60%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (278)
- 14%
- 100% (278)
- 14%
- 100% (278)
- 14%
- 100% (278)
- 14%
How Montgomery 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 Montgomery College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Montgomery College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $8,027/year ($32,108 total). Graduates earn $50,159 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,440,817 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,408,709 (44.9× your investment). The median debt is $10,415, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 30% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $32,108
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,440,817
- Net Return
- $1,408,709
- ROI Multiple
- 44.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $8,027
- Median Debt
- $10,415
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 30%
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 Montgomery College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Montgomery 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 3.04%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13.3% 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 22.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $69,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 3.04%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 22.8%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 13.3%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $93,747
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $6,398,925
- Investment Income
- $-705,545
Top Programs
The fields Montgomery 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%
- Business & Marketing 15% $36,132 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 15%
- Health Professions 9% $75,505 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 5%
- Engineering 3%
- Education 2% $15,310 early-career
- Communications 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 Montgomery 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+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Montgomery College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Rockville, Maryland, Montgomery College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 30%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Montgomery College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Montgomery College is $14,250, 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 $8,027. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,932 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,415 in federal student loans.
Is Montgomery College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Montgomery College earn a median of $50,159, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Montgomery College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Montgomery 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 3.04%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13.3% 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 22.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $69,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Montgomery College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Montgomery College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.62, 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 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Montgomery College.
- Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, CA · Close peer47% grad $51,378 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- College of DuPageGlen Ellyn, IL · Close peer25% grad $46,909 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Nassau Community CollegeGarden City, NY · Close peer23% grad $48,248 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Suffolk County Community CollegeSelden, NY · Close peer27% grad $49,907 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Bergen Community CollegeParamus, NJ · Close peer22% grad $46,624 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Moreno Valley CollegeMoreno Valley, CA · Close peer33% grad $52,133 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Montgomery College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Montgomery College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.62, 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 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note