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Surry Community College

Public Dobson, NC · Rural · Southeast · 80% data
A Affordability A Value C- Earnings
Graduation Rate
7% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$36,012 C-
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$4,961 A
71% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,475
Earnings -12% vs avg
Graduation -88% vs avg
Net Price +-71% vs avg
Mobility Top 68%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 43.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $43.6 over 20 years.

43.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $43.6 over 20 years. Net gain: $846,002.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Graduation of 7% — 88% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $43.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About Surry Community College

Surry 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
1,475
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Precision Production

Why students choose Surry 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 51% overall
C-
Earnings
$36,012 median
A
Value
7.3× net price
A
Affordability
$4,961/yr net
F
Graduation
7% graduate
D+
Social Mobility
1.1% climb Q1→Q5
D+
Diversity
0.44 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Surry Community College in Dobson, North Carolina, caters to students looking for a practical and accessible education. With an enrollment of about 1,475, it's a place where you'll find a focus on programs in Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Precision Production, and Computer Science & IT. This variety allows students to tailor their studies to fit their career aspirations, whether that's stepping into a healthcare role or diving into the tech industry.

When it comes to life after graduation, the earnings potential is noteworthy. Graduates can expect to earn around $36,012 within a decade of completing their studies. That income can make a significant difference in terms of financial stability. Given the low net price of $4,961 after aid, Surry Community College presents an affordable option for those looking to advance their careers without accumulating overwhelming debt.

Looking at the practical aspects, students here tend to thrive in a supportive environment that emphasizes hands-on learning. While the graduation rate sits at 7%, it's essential to recognize that many students are balancing work and family commitments alongside their studies. The 28% Pell Grant rate indicates that a good number of students are receiving federal support, which can help ease financial burdens. For those willing to engage with their programs and take advantage of available resources, Surry Community College can be a solid stepping stone toward a rewarding career.

Can I Get In?

How selective Surry 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 Surry Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Dobson, North Carolina, Surry Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 7%.

Retention Rate
73%
Full-Time Faculty
37%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,707
Student–Faculty Ratio
14:1
Diversity Index
0.44
First-Gen Students
54%

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 Surry Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Surry Community College is $8,812, 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 $4,961. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,483 after need-based grants.

In-State Tuition
$2,668
Out-of-State
$8,812
Avg Net Price
$4,961
Pell Grant Rate
28%
Federal Loan Rate
0%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$3,483
Family Income $30K–$48K
$3,716
Family Income $48K–$75K
$6,782

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 Surry 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 Surry Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Surry Community College report median earnings of $36,012, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$30,884
8 Years
$34,723
10 Years
$36,012
Loan Repayment (3yr)
56%
Earning > $25K
46%

Earnings Trajectory

$30,884 6yr $34,723 8yr $36,012 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (67)
23%
100% (67)
23%
100% (67)
23%
100% (67)
23%

How Surry Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation7%Earnings 10yr$36KNet Price$5KRetention73%Pell Grant Rate28%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$3K$0-30K$4K$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%14.5%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%7.9%MOBILITY1.14%

College ROI Calculator

Is Surry Community College Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, Surry Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $4,961/year ($19,844 total). Graduates earn $36,012 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $865,846 in total earnings — a net gain of $846,002 (43.6× your investment).. With a 7% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$19,844
Projected 20yr Earnings
$865,846
Net Return
$846,002
ROI Multiple
43.6×
Cost Per Year
$4,961
Graduation Rate
7%

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

Surry 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 1.14%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.5% 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 7.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.14%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
7.9%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
14.5%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$79,345
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Surry 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 Surry Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.63, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.07), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.63
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.07
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
4.8%
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

Investment Income
$2,828

Top Programs

The fields Surry 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 Surry Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Dobson, North Carolina, Surry Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 7%.

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

Published tuition at Surry Community College is $8,812, 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 $4,961. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,483 after need-based grants.

Is Surry Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Surry Community College report median earnings of $36,012, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

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

Surry 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 1.14%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 14.5% 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 7.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $58,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Surry 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 Surry Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.63, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.07), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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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