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Northern Oklahoma College logo
Public Tonkawa, OK · Rural · Southwest · 87% data
A Affordability A Value B- Diversity
Graduation Rate
44% D+
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$37,566 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$5,625 A
67% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,941
Earnings -8% vs avg
Graduation -23% vs avg
Net Price +-67% vs avg
Mobility Top 51%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 39.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $39.5 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Most Affordable Colleges in Oklahoma.

39.5× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $39.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $865,956.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduation of 44% — 23% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $39.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Northern Oklahoma College Matters

Northern Oklahoma College is a public community college in Tonkawa, OK and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity 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
1,941
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Health Professions

Why students choose Northern Oklahoma 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.

C+
Top 38% overall
C-
Earnings
$37,566 median
A
Value
6.7× net price
A
Affordability
$5,625/yr net
D+
Graduation
44% graduate
C
Social Mobility
1.4% climb Q1→Q5
B-
Diversity
0.66 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Northern Oklahoma College is a solid choice for students seeking a friendly campus atmosphere with a focus on practical skills. With around 1,941 students, it’s a place where you can engage closely with faculty and peers. Many students dive into programs like Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Social Sciences, and Education, making it a versatile option for those with diverse interests.

When it comes to what happens after graduation, the numbers tell a hopeful story. Graduates report an average salary of $37,566 after ten years, which can be quite encouraging for those entering the job market. Given the affordability of the college—with a net price of just $5,625 and a median debt load of $11,000—many students find they can graduate without a heavy financial burden, making it easier to start their careers.

In practical terms, Northern Oklahoma College is accessible to a wide range of students, particularly those who thrive in smaller communities. With a significant portion of the student body receiving Pell Grants, it’s clear that the college supports those who may need extra financial help. Students who take advantage of the programs here often find themselves well-equipped for the workforce, allowing them to build a successful future without overwhelming debt.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Northern Oklahoma 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 Northern Oklahoma College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, Northern Oklahoma College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 44%.

Retention Rate
67%
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,382
Student–Faculty Ratio
17:1
Diversity Index
0.66
First-Gen Students
41%

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 Northern Oklahoma College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Northern Oklahoma College is $12,202, 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 $5,625. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,308 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$5,083
Out-of-State
$12,202
Avg Net Price
$5,625
Median Debt
$11,000
Pell Grant Rate
34%
Federal Loan Rate
20%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$4,308
Family Income $30K–$48K
$5,343
Family Income $48K–$75K
$5,351
Family Income $110K+
$10,983

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 Northern Oklahoma 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 Northern Oklahoma College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Northern Oklahoma College report median earnings of $37,566, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$32,607
8 Years
$36,322
10 Years
$37,566
Debt-to-Earnings
0.29x
Earning > $25K
55%

Earnings Trajectory

$32,607 6yr $36,322 8yr $37,566 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (205)
29%
100% (205)
29%
100% (205)
29%
100% (205)
29%

How Northern Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation44%Earnings 10yr$38KNet Price$6KRetention67%Median Debt$11KPell Grant Rate34%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$4K$0-30K$5K$30-48K$5K$48-75K$11K$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%14.2%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%10.2%MOBILITY1.45%

College ROI Calculator

Is Northern Oklahoma College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Northern Oklahoma College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,625/year ($22,500 total). Graduates earn $37,566 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $888,456 in total earnings — a net gain of $865,956 (39.5× your investment). The median debt is $11,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 44% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$22,500
Projected 20yr Earnings
$888,456
Net Return
$865,956
ROI Multiple
39.5×
Cost Per Year
$5,625
Median Debt
$11,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
44%

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 Northern Oklahoma College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Northern Oklahoma 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 1.45%, 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 10.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $63,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.45%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
10.2%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
14.2%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$85,595
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Northern Oklahoma 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 Northern Oklahoma College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.32, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.32
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.00
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
7.4%
Support Ratio
0.99
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

Endowment
$8,270,769
Federal Grants
$2,302,822
Investment Income
$-1,577,287

Top Programs

The fields Northern Oklahoma 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 Northern Oklahoma College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, Northern Oklahoma College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 44%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Northern Oklahoma College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Northern Oklahoma College is $12,202, 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 $5,625. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,308 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.

Is Northern Oklahoma College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Northern Oklahoma College report median earnings of $37,566, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Northern Oklahoma College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Northern Oklahoma 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 1.45%, 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 10.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $63,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Northern Oklahoma 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 Northern Oklahoma College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.32, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Northern Oklahoma 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