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Southwestern Oregon Community College

#4 Best Nursing Colleges in Oregon
Public Coos Bay, OR · Town · Far West · 87% data
B+ Affordability B Value B Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
39% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$38,349 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$8,527 B+
50% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,270
Earnings -6% vs avg
Graduation -32% vs avg
Net Price +-50% vs avg
Mobility Top 28%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 27.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $27.0 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Best Nursing Colleges in Oregon.

27.0× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $27.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $885,505.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 39% — 32% below the national average.

  3. Social mobility rate of 2.01% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $27.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About Southwestern Oregon Community College

Southwestern Oregon 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
1,270
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Health Professions, Culinary & Personal Services, Precision Production

Why students choose Southwestern Oregon Community College

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 41% overall
C-
Earnings
$38,349 median
B
Value
4.5× net price
B+
Affordability
$8,527/yr net
D
Graduation
39% graduate
B
Social Mobility
2.0% climb Q1→Q5
C-
Diversity
0.54 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Southwestern Oregon Community College is a solid choice for students looking to dive into practical fields like health professions, culinary arts, and business. With about 1,270 enrolled students, the college fosters a close-knit environment where you can really connect with faculty and peers. If you're drawn to hands-on learning in programs that prepare you for immediate employment, this place could be a good fit.

After graduation, students can expect to earn around $38,349 within ten years, which reflects a decent return on the investment in education. While the graduation rate is 39%, it’s worth noting that many students here are balancing work and studies, which can impact completion times. The affordability factor is strong, especially for those who qualify for Pell Grants, with 36% of students receiving this financial assistance.

Looking at the numbers, the net price after aid comes to about $8,527, and the median debt stands at $12,000. This financial picture makes it manageable for many students to graduate without overwhelming debt. Those who tend to thrive here often appreciate a practical, community-oriented atmosphere where they can gain skills that lead directly to employment.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Southwestern Oregon 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 Southwestern Oregon Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Coos Bay, Oregon, Southwestern Oregon Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 39%.

Retention Rate
57%
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,607
Student–Faculty Ratio
14:1
Diversity Index
0.54
First-Gen Students
47%

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 Southwestern Oregon Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Southwestern Oregon Community College is $7,192, 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 $8,527. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,414 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$7,192
Out-of-State
$7,192
Avg Net Price
$8,527
Median Debt
$12,000
Pell Grant Rate
36%
Federal Loan Rate
19%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$6,414
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,062
Family Income $48K–$75K
$8,238
Family Income $110K+
$13,702

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Southwestern Oregon Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Southwestern Oregon Community College report median earnings of $38,349, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$32,951
8 Years
$37,331
10 Years
$38,349
Debt-to-Earnings
0.31x
Earning > $25K
42%

Earnings Trajectory

$32,951 6yr $37,331 8yr $38,349 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (112)
25%
100% (112)
25%
100% (112)
25%
100% (112)
25%

How Southwestern Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation39%Earnings 10yr$38KNet Price$9KRetention57%Median Debt$12KPell Grant Rate36%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$6K$0-30K$7K$30-48K$8K$48-75K$14K$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%15.6%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%12.9%MOBILITY2.01%

College ROI Calculator

Is Southwestern Oregon Community College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Southwestern Oregon Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $8,527/year ($34,108 total). Graduates earn $38,349 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $919,613 in total earnings — a net gain of $885,505 (27.0× your investment). The median debt is $12,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 39% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$34,108
Projected 20yr Earnings
$919,613
Net Return
$885,505
ROI Multiple
27.0×
Cost Per Year
$8,527
Median Debt
$12,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
39%

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 Southwestern Oregon Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Southwestern Oregon 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 2.01%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 15.6% 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 12.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $59,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.01%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
12.9%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
15.6%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$59,700

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Southwestern Oregon Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Southwestern Oregon Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.99, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), 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
0.99
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.9%
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
$2,358,227
Federal Grants
$4,084,518
Investment Income
$182,182

Top Programs

The fields Southwestern Oregon Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Southwestern Oregon Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Coos Bay, Oregon, Southwestern Oregon Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 39%.

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

Published tuition at Southwestern Oregon Community College is $7,192, 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 $8,527. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,414 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,000 in federal student loans.

Is Southwestern Oregon Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Southwestern Oregon Community College report median earnings of $38,349, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Southwestern Oregon Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Southwestern Oregon 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 2.01%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 15.6% 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 12.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $59,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Southwestern Oregon Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Southwestern Oregon Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.99, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), 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 Southwestern Oregon 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