Shelton State Community College
- Graduation Rate
- 26% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $35,014 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $14,557 C+
- Close to the national average
- Enrollment
- 3,148
Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 13.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $13.5 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $13.5 over 20 years. Net gain: $729,319.
What The Data Says
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A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 26% — 55% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $13.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Shelton State Community College
Shelton State 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 College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 3,148
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HBCU
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Humanities, Business & Marketing, Mechanic & Repair Tech
Why students choose Shelton State 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 $14,557 a year after grants and scholarships — 15% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $35,014 ten years after enrolling — 14% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.8% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 36% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.82 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Over 3,100 students call Shelton State Community College home, making it a central player in Tuscaloosa’s educational landscape. The college focuses on practical programs that prepare students for immediate employment, particularly in high-demand fields like Health Professions and Mechanic & Repair Tech.
Data from Opportunity Insights highlights the college's role in promoting upward mobility, though specific mobility metrics are not readily available. The graduation rate stands at 26%, indicating that while many students start their journey, a significant number do not complete their degrees. This could reflect challenges faced by students balancing work and study.
The net price for attending Shelton State is $14,557, an affordable option for many. Graduates earn an average of $35,014 after ten years. With 43% of students receiving Pell Grants, the college supports those with financial need. Students who thrive here often seek practical skills and quick pathways to stable careers.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Shelton State 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 Shelton State Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Shelton State Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 26%.
- Retention Rate
- 58%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 46%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,550
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 17:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.60
- First-Gen Students
- 48%
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 Shelton State Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Shelton State Community College is $8,997, 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 $14,557. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,091 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,127
- Out-of-State
- $8,997
- Avg Net Price
- $14,557
- Pell Grant Rate
- 43%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $14,091
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $14,492
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $16,073
- Family Income $110K+
- $16,269
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 Shelton State 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 Shelton State Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Shelton State Community College report median earnings of $35,014, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $31,581
- 8 Years
- $33,221
- 10 Years
- $35,014
- Earning > $25K
- 41%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (120)
- 16%
- 100% (120)
- 16%
- 100% (120)
- 16%
- 100% (120)
- 16%
How Shelton 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 Shelton State Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Shelton State Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $14,557/year ($58,228 total). Graduates earn $35,014 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $787,547 in total earnings — a net gain of $729,319 (13.5× your investment).. With a 26% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $58,228
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $787,547
- Net Return
- $729,319
- ROI Multiple
- 13.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $14,557
- Graduation Rate
- 26%
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 Shelton State Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Shelton State Community 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 1.76%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21.6% 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 8.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $60,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.76%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 8.2%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 21.6%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $82,062
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Top Programs
The fields Shelton State 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.
- Health Professions 20% $63,400 early-career
- Humanities 16%
- Business & Marketing 15% $28,834 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 13% $66,496 early-career
- Culinary & Personal Services 11% $25,556 early-career
- Construction Trades 11% $39,321 early-career
- Precision Production 9%
- Computer Science & IT 1%
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 Shelton State 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 Shelton State Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Shelton State Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 26%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Shelton State Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Shelton State Community College is $8,997, 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 $14,557. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,091 after need-based grants.
Is Shelton State Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Shelton State Community College report median earnings of $35,014, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Shelton State Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Shelton State Community 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 1.76%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 21.6% 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 8.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $60,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Shelton State 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 Shelton State Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.82, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.15). Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Shelton State Community College.
- Coastal Alabama Community CollegeBay Minette, AL · Close peer29% grad $34,894 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Palo Verde CollegeBlythe, CA · Close peer24% grad $36,389 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical CollegeNorth Little Rock, AR · Close peer34% grad $34,722 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Santa Fe Community CollegeSanta Fe, NM · Close peer24% grad $38,005 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Georgia Piedmont Technical CollegeClarkston, GA · Close peer39% grad $34,619 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar net price
- Barstow Community CollegeBarstow, CA · Close peer36% grad $35,104 earnWhy: similar earnings
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Shelton State 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 Shelton State Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.82, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.15). Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note