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CollegeRanker
Public Gainesville, TX · Town · Southwest · 87% data
A Value A- Affordability B Diversity
Graduation Rate
35% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$45,809 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$6,587 A-
62% less than the typical college
Enrollment
5,863
Earnings +12% vs avg
Graduation -39% vs avg
Net Price +-62% vs avg
Mobility Top 46%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 42.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $42.6 over 20 years. Ranked #10 in Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Texas.

42.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $42.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,095,214.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduation of 35% — 39% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $42.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why North Central Texas College Matters

North Central Texas College is a public community college in Gainesville, TX and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. 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
5,863
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Health Professions, Precision Production, Criminal Justice

Why students choose North Central Texas College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
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.

B-
Top 35% overall
C+
Earnings
$45,809 median
A
Value
7.0× net price
A-
Affordability
$6,587/yr net
D
Graduation
35% graduate
C
Social Mobility
1.5% climb Q1→Q5
B
Diversity
0.69 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

North Central Texas College caters to students looking for practical career paths and a supportive community. With around 5,863 students, it’s clear that this school is designed for those interested in fields like Humanities, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, and Culinary Arts. The focus here is on building skills that lead directly to employment, making it a solid choice for those wanting to jumpstart their careers.

After graduation, students can expect to earn about $45,809 within ten years, which is a decent figure for those who have completed their programs. While the graduation rate stands at 35%, it’s important to note that many students are able to find success in the workforce even if they don’t complete their degree. This school’s affordability adds to its appeal; with a net price of $6,587 after aid, it allows for a more accessible pathway to a better financial future.

When we look at the practicalities, the median debt sits at $11,250, which is manageable compared to many other institutions. This means students are less burdened by loans as they start their careers. Those who thrive here are typically motivated individuals looking to gain skills and enter the workforce quickly, often finding a niche in their chosen field.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective North Central Texas 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 North Central Texas College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Gainesville, Texas, North Central Texas College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.

Retention Rate
66%
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,920
Student–Faculty Ratio
19:1
Diversity Index
0.69
First-Gen Students
43%

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 North Central Texas College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at North Central Texas College is $5,739, 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 $6,587. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,439 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,250 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$3,600
Out-of-State
$5,739
Avg Net Price
$6,587
Median Debt
$11,250
Pell Grant Rate
21%
Federal Loan Rate
20%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$5,439
Family Income $30K–$48K
$5,505
Family Income $48K–$75K
$7,059
Family Income $110K+
$10,096

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 North Central Texas 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 North Central Texas College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of North Central Texas College earn a median of $45,809, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$38,779
8 Years
$42,116
10 Years
$45,809
Debt-to-Earnings
0.25x
Earning > $25K
59%

Earnings Trajectory

$38,779 6yr $42,116 8yr $45,809 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (121)
12%
100% (121)
12%
100% (121)
12%
100% (121)
12%

How North Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation35%Earnings 10yr$46KNet Price$7KRetention66%Median Debt$11KPell Grant Rate21%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$5K$0-30K$6K$30-48K$7K$48-75K$10K$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%10.9%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%14.1%MOBILITY1.54%

College ROI Calculator

Is North Central Texas College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, North Central Texas College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,587/year ($26,348 total). Graduates earn $45,809 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,121,562 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,095,214 (42.6× your investment). The median debt is $11,250, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 35% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$26,348
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,121,562
Net Return
$1,095,214
ROI Multiple
42.6×
Cost Per Year
$6,587
Median Debt
$11,250
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
35%

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 North Central Texas College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

North Central Texas 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 1.54%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 10.9% 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 14.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $79,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.54%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
14.1%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
10.9%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$108,420
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is North Central Texas 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 North Central Texas College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.19, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.19
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.04
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.1%
Support Ratio
0.96
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

Investment Income
$199,320

Top Programs

The fields North Central Texas 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 North Central Texas College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Gainesville, Texas, North Central Texas College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend North Central Texas College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at North Central Texas College is $5,739, 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 $6,587. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,439 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,250 in federal student loans.

Is North Central Texas College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of North Central Texas College earn a median of $45,809, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does North Central Texas College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

North Central Texas 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 1.54%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 10.9% 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 14.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $79,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is North Central Texas 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 North Central Texas College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.19, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to North Central Texas College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

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.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys