Volunteer State Community College
#4 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Tennessee- Graduation Rate
- 26% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $41,150 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $7,802 B+
- 54% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 5,339
Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 30.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.8 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Tennessee.
Every $1 spent returns $30.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $930,170.
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% — 54% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $30.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Volunteer State Community College Matters
Volunteer State Community College is a public community college in Gallatin, TN 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 Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 5,339
- Setting
- Suburban
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice
Why students choose Volunteer 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 $7,802 a year after grants and scholarships — 54% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $41,150 ten years after enrolling — 1% above the typical college, against $7,550 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 84% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.17 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of about 5,300 students, Volunteer State Community College is a great fit for those looking for a supportive environment to explore various fields, especially in areas like Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice, and Computer Science. The smaller size allows for more personal attention, which can be a big advantage as you navigate your studies and career goals.
When it comes to what happens after graduation, students can expect to earn around $41,150 within ten years of completing their degree. This is a decent starting point, especially considering the affordability of the program. With a net price of $7,802 after financial aid and about a third of the students receiving Pell Grants, it creates a pathway for many to achieve their educational goals without overwhelming debt.
Looking at the financials, the median debt for graduates is just $7,550, making it manageable for most. This low cost of attendance tends to attract a diverse group of students, including those who might be balancing work and family commitments. People who thrive here are often those who appreciate a community-focused approach to education and are looking for practical skills that can lead directly to employment.
Rankings
- #4 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Tennessee
- #8 Best Nursing Colleges in Tennessee
- #10 Best Computer Science Colleges in Tennessee
- #10 Best Data Science Colleges in Tennessee
- #11 Most Affordable Colleges in Tennessee
- #19 Best Online Colleges in Tennessee
- #22 Best Colleges in Tennessee
- #27 Best Business Colleges in Tennessee
Can I Get In?
How selective Volunteer 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 Volunteer State Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Volunteer State Community College, located in Gallatin, Tennessee, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 26%.
- Retention Rate
- 51%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 44%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,754
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 24:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.49
- 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 Volunteer State Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Volunteer State Community College is $17,740, 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 $7,802. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,733 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,550 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,756
- Out-of-State
- $17,740
- Avg Net Price
- $7,802
- Median Debt
- $7,550
- Pell Grant Rate
- 33%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 5%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $6,733
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $7,441
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,965
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,530
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 Volunteer 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 Volunteer State Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Volunteer State Community College report median earnings of $41,150, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $36,045
- 8 Years
- $38,758
- 10 Years
- $41,150
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.18x
- Earning > $25K
- 52%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (283)
- 13%
- 100% (283)
- 13%
- 100% (283)
- 13%
- 100% (283)
- 13%
How Volunteer 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 Volunteer State Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Volunteer State Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,802/year ($31,208 total). Graduates earn $41,150 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $961,378 in total earnings — a net gain of $930,170 (30.8× your investment). The median debt is $7,550, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. 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)
- $31,208
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $961,378
- Net Return
- $930,170
- ROI Multiple
- 30.8×
- Cost Per Year
- $7,802
- Median Debt
- $7,550
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- 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 Volunteer State Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Volunteer State 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 0.88%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 10.6% 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 8.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $70,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.88%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 8.3%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 10.6%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $96,192
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $6,356,681
- Federal Grants
- $660,244
- Investment Income
- $85,602
Top Programs
The fields Volunteer 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.
- Humanities 39%
- Health Professions 23% $54,605 early-career
- Business & Marketing 10%
- Criminal Justice 9%
- Computer Science & IT 9%
- Visual & Performing Arts 3%
- Education 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 Volunteer 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
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Volunteer State Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Volunteer State Community College, located in Gallatin, Tennessee, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 26%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Volunteer State Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Volunteer State Community College is $17,740, 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 $7,802. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,733 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,550 in federal student loans.
Is Volunteer State Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Volunteer State Community College report median earnings of $41,150, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Volunteer State Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Volunteer State 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 0.88%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 10.6% 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 8.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $70,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Volunteer 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 high at Volunteer State Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.17, 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 Volunteer State Community College.
- Jefferson State Community CollegeBirmingham, AL · Close peer24% grad $40,719 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Contra Costa CollegeSan Pablo, CA · Close peer30% grad $40,850 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Onondaga Community CollegeSyracuse, NY · Close peer26% grad $41,190 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Erie Community CollegeBuffalo, NY · Close peer28% grad $41,228 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Southern Maine Community CollegeSouth Portland, ME · Close peer24% grad $41,661 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Clackamas Community CollegeOregon City, OR · Close peer23% grad $42,886 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Volunteer 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 high at Volunteer State Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.17, 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.
Research Note