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Panola College

Public Carthage, TX · Town · Southwest · 87% data
A Affordability A Value B- Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
42% D+
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$36,072 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$5,216 A
70% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,388
Earnings -12% vs avg
Graduation -26% vs avg
Net Price +-70% vs avg
Mobility Top 29%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 39.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $39.1 over 20 years.

39.1× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $39.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $795,097.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduation of 42% — 26% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $39.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Panola College Matters

Panola College is a public college in Carthage, TX and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
1,388
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Precision Production, Business & Marketing

Why students choose Panola College

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 36% overall
C-
Earnings
$36,072 median
A
Value
6.9× net price
A
Affordability
$5,216/yr net
D+
Graduation
42% graduate
B-
Social Mobility
2.0% climb Q1→Q5
B-
Diversity
0.65 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Panola College in Carthage, Texas, serves around 1,388 students, making it an intimate environment for those looking to study practical fields. Here, students dive into programs like Humanities, Mechanic & Repair Tech, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Precision Production. This mix highlights a focus on skills that are immediately applicable in the job market, ideal for individuals eager to step into their careers with confidence.

After graduation, students can expect to earn an average of $36,072 within ten years. This figure is a solid indicator of potential financial stability, especially considering the relatively low net price of $5,216 after aid. For those who may need additional support, about 31% of students receive Pell Grants, which can help ease the financial burden. While the graduation rate stands at 42%, it suggests that perseverance is key for many students, and those who do make it through often find themselves in a good position to advance in their careers.

When thinking about the cost of attending Panola College, the median debt of $10,500 is manageable compared to earnings after graduation. This balance can lead to a more secure financial future, especially for those who thrive in hands-on learning environments and appreciate smaller class sizes. Students who take advantage of the college’s practical programs and seek out resources tend to find their footing in the workforce more easily.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Panola 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 Panola College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Carthage, Texas, Panola College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 42%.

Retention Rate
58%
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,629
Student–Faculty Ratio
13:1
Diversity Index
0.65
First-Gen Students
51%

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 Panola College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Panola College is $5,232, 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 $5,216. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,916 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$2,352
Out-of-State
$5,232
Avg Net Price
$5,216
Median Debt
$10,500
Pell Grant Rate
31%
Federal Loan Rate
7%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$4,916
Family Income $30K–$48K
$4,838
Family Income $48K–$75K
$6,855

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 Panola 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 Panola College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Panola College report median earnings of $36,072, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$32,390
8 Years
$35,209
10 Years
$36,072
Debt-to-Earnings
0.29x
Earning > $25K
52%

Earnings Trajectory

$32,390 6yr $35,209 8yr $36,072 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (97)
27%
100% (97)
27%
100% (97)
27%
100% (97)
27%

How Panola Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation42%Earnings 10yr$36KNet Price$5KRetention58%Median Debt$11KPell Grant Rate31%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$5K$0-30K$5K$30-48K$7K$48-75K

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%19.9%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%9.9%MOBILITY1.98%

College ROI Calculator

Is Panola College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Panola College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,216/year ($20,864 total). Graduates earn $36,072 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $815,961 in total earnings — a net gain of $795,097 (39.1× your investment). The median debt is $10,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 42% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$20,864
Projected 20yr Earnings
$815,961
Net Return
$795,097
ROI Multiple
39.1×
Cost Per Year
$5,216
Median Debt
$10,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
42%

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 Panola College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Panola 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 1.98%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 19.9% 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 9.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $53,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.98%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
9.9%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
19.9%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$72,280
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Panola College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Panola College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.08, 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 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.08
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.02
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.4%
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

Federal Grants
$577,711

Top Programs

The fields Panola 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 Panola College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Carthage, Texas, Panola College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 42%.

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

Published tuition at Panola College is $5,232, 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 $5,216. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,916 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $10,500 in federal student loans.

Is Panola College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Panola College report median earnings of $36,072, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

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

Panola 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 1.98%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 19.9% 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 9.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $53,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Panola College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Panola College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.08, 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 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Panola 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