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Seward County Community College

#7 Most Affordable Colleges in Kansas
Public Liberal, KS · Town · Plains · 87% data
A- Value A- Affordability C+ Diversity
Graduation Rate
48% C-
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$41,445 C
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$6,717 A-
61% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,166
Earnings +2% vs avg
Graduation -15% vs avg
Net Price +-61% vs avg

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 34.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $34.8 over 20 years. Ranked #7 in Most Affordable Colleges in Kansas.

34.8× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $34.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $907,967.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Every $1 invested returns $34.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Seward County Community College Matters

Seward County Community College is a public college in Liberal, KS 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 College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
1,166
Setting
Town
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Transportation, Mechanic & Repair Tech

Why students choose Seward County Community College

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

B-
Top 35% overall
C
Earnings
$41,445 median
A-
Value
6.2× net price
A-
Affordability
$6,717/yr net
C-
Graduation
48% graduate
C+
Diversity
0.60 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of around 1,166 students, Seward County Community College is a solid choice for those seeking a practical education that leads directly to employment. This institution is particularly well-suited for individuals interested in fields like Health Professions, Humanities, Transportation, and Mechanic & Repair Tech. Students here can expect a hands-on approach that prepares them for the workforce, all while being part of a supportive community.

Looking at life after graduation, students can anticipate earning an average of $41,445 within ten years of leaving the college. This figure indicates that those who complete their programs typically find stable employment and decent wages. Given the affordability of the school, with a net price of $6,717, many students manage to graduate with manageable debt—median student loans sit at about $6,500. This combination of low costs and reasonable earnings makes it easier for graduates to get ahead.

When it comes to the bottom line, the financial picture is encouraging. The cost after financial aid is relatively low, which is a crucial factor for many students. Those who tend to thrive here are often those who appreciate a hands-on learning environment and are motivated to enter the workforce quickly. With a graduation rate of 48%, there’s a clear path for students who stay engaged and focused on their goals.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Seward County Community 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 Seward County Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Liberal, Kansas, Seward County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 48%.

Retention Rate
66%
Full-Time Faculty
43%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,624
Student–Faculty Ratio
13:1
Diversity Index
0.60
First-Gen Students
57%

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 Seward County Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Seward County Community College is $5,408, 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 $6,717. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,581 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$4,032
Out-of-State
$5,408
Avg Net Price
$6,717
Median Debt
$6,500
Pell Grant Rate
21%
Federal Loan Rate
5%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$6,581
Family Income $30K–$48K
$9,065
Family Income $48K–$75K
$8,979

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 Seward County Community 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 Seward County Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Seward County Community College report median earnings of $41,445, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$37,298
8 Years
$39,330
10 Years
$41,445
Debt-to-Earnings
0.16x
Earning > $25K
52%

Earnings Trajectory

$37,298 6yr $39,330 8yr $41,445 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (105)
37%
100% (105)
37%
100% (105)
37%
100% (105)
37%

How Seward Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation48%Earnings 10yr$41KNet Price$7KRetention66%Median Debt$7KPell Grant Rate21%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$7K$0-30K$9K$30-48K$9K$48-75K

College ROI Calculator

Is Seward County Community College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Seward County Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,717/year ($26,868 total). Graduates earn $41,445 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $934,835 in total earnings — a net gain of $907,967 (34.8× your investment). The median debt is $6,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 48% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$26,868
Projected 20yr Earnings
$934,835
Net Return
$907,967
ROI Multiple
34.8×
Cost Per Year
$6,717
Median Debt
$6,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
48%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Seward County Community 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 Seward County Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.28, 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.

Economic Connectedness
1.28
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.03
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
3.6%
Support Ratio
1.00
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
$6,005,365
Federal Grants
$2,795,054
Investment Income
$28,972

Top Programs

The fields Seward County 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.

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 Seward County Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Liberal, Kansas, Seward County Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 48%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Seward County Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Seward County Community College is $5,408, 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 $6,717. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,581 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,500 in federal student loans.

Is Seward County Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Seward County Community College report median earnings of $41,445, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

How Connected Is Seward County Community 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 Seward County Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.28, 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 Seward County Community 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