Sandhills Community College
- Graduation Rate
- 50% C-
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $31,656 D
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $4,157 A
- 76% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 2,539
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 43.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $43.2 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $43.2 over 20 years. Net gain: $701,431.
What The Data Says
-
A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduate earnings fall 22% below the national college median.
-
Every $1 invested returns $43.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Sandhills Community College
Sandhills Community 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
- 2,539
- Setting
- Rural
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Culinary & Personal Services
Why students choose Sandhills Community 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 $4,157 a year after grants and scholarships — 76% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $31,656 ten years after enrolling — 22% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.8% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 87% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.67 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Sandhills Community College, nestled in Pinehurst, North Carolina, is an excellent choice for students interested in practical and career-oriented programs. With a total enrollment of 2,539, the school caters to those who want to dive into fields like Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Education, and Criminal Justice. This variety means students can find something that truly resonates with their career aspirations, making it a fitting environment for those who are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
Looking at life after graduation, students can expect to earn about $31,656 a year a decade after finishing their studies. This figure is significant, especially considering the affordable nature of attending Sandhills. The cost after financial aid comes in at just $4,157, making it accessible for many. While we don’t have specific mobility data, we can infer that the combination of solid earnings potential and affordability helps graduates move up in their careers and contribute positively to their communities.
When it comes to financial practicality, Sandhills Community College stands out for its low net price and the reasonable debt load students tend to carry. With 28% of students receiving Pell Grants, there’s a clear commitment to helping those who may need extra support. This environment often suits those who thrive on hands-on learning and are eager to enter the workforce swiftly, ensuring a smooth transition from classroom to career.
Rankings
- #19 Most Affordable Colleges in North Carolina
- #22 Best Online Computer Science Programs in North Carolina
- #23 Best Online Nursing Programs in North Carolina
- #23 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in North Carolina
- #24 Best Online Education Programs in North Carolina
- #26 Best Online Business Programs in North Carolina
- #27 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in North Carolina
- #32 Best Computer Science Colleges in North Carolina
Can I Get In?
How selective Sandhills Community 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 Sandhills Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Sandhills Community College, located in Pinehurst, North Carolina, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 50%.
- Retention Rate
- 80%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 32%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,275
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 12:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.67
- First-Gen Students
- 46%
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 Sandhills Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Sandhills Community College is $6,648, 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 $4,157. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,674 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $2,040
- Out-of-State
- $6,648
- Avg Net Price
- $4,157
- Pell Grant Rate
- 28%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $2,674
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $3,988
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $5,713
- Family Income $110K+
- $12,360
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 Sandhills Community 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 Sandhills Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Sandhills Community College report median earnings of $31,656, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $28,363
- 8 Years
- $29,738
- 10 Years
- $31,656
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 18%
- Earning > $25K
- 37%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (146)
- 29%
- 100% (146)
- 29%
- 100% (146)
- 29%
- 100% (146)
- 29%
How Sandhills 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 Sandhills Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Sandhills Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $4,157/year ($16,628 total). Graduates earn $31,656 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $718,059 in total earnings — a net gain of $701,431 (43.2× your investment).. With a 50% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $16,628
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $718,059
- Net Return
- $701,431
- ROI Multiple
- 43.2×
- Cost Per Year
- $4,157
- Graduation Rate
- 50%
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 Sandhills Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Sandhills Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.81%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 20.1% 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 4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $53,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.81%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 4.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 20.1%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $72,688
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-4,446,220
Top Programs
The fields Sandhills Community 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 39%
- Health Professions 17% $67,114 early-career
- Criminal Justice 7%
- Culinary & Personal Services 7%
- Computer Science & IT 6%
- Business & Marketing 5%
- Education 5%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 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 Sandhills Community 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
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Sandhills Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Sandhills Community College, located in Pinehurst, North Carolina, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 50%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Sandhills Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Sandhills Community College is $6,648, 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 $4,157. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,674 after need-based grants.
Is Sandhills Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Sandhills Community College report median earnings of $31,656, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Sandhills Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Sandhills Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.81%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 20.1% 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 4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $53,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Sandhills Community 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 Sandhills Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.67, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), 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 Sandhills Community College.
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- Lawson State Community CollegeBirmingham, AL · Close peer26% grad $31,701 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Sandhills Community 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 Sandhills Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.67, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), 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