Wayne Community College
#2 Most Affordable Colleges in North Carolina- Graduation Rate
- 53% C-
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $34,148 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $2,245 A+
- 87% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 2,739
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 81.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $81.9 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Most Affordable Colleges in North Carolina.
Every $1 spent returns $81.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $726,882.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Every $1 invested returns $81.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Wayne Community College
Wayne 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
- 2,739
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Humanities, Computer Science & IT, Health Professions
Why students choose Wayne 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 $2,245 a year after grants and scholarships — 87% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $34,148 ten years after enrolling — 16% below the typical college, against $6,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 85% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.61 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of 2,739 students, Wayne Community College is a solid choice for those seeking affordable education with practical outcomes. The school particularly caters to individuals interested in fields like Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Health Professions, Humanities, and Precision Production. This focus allows students to acquire skills that are directly applicable in the job market, which can be a significant advantage for those looking to enter the workforce quickly.
After graduation, students can expect to earn around $34,148 within ten years, which gives a good indication of the financial trajectory for those who complete their studies here. Affordability is a strong suit; the net price after aid is only $2,245, making it accessible for many families. Additionally, the median debt of $6,500 suggests that most graduates leave with manageable financial obligations, which can help mitigate stress as they begin their careers.
Ultimately, Wayne Community College tends to attract students who are looking for a practical, hands-on education that leads to immediate job opportunities. Those who thrive here often appreciate the supportive environment and the focus on real-world skills. With a graduation rate of 53%, there’s a clear pathway for dedication and hard work to pay off, enabling students to move forward confidently into their chosen careers.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Wayne 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 Wayne Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Wayne Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 53%.
- Retention Rate
- 67%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 33%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,110
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 12:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.66
- 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 Wayne Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Wayne Community College is $8,710, 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 $2,245. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,371 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $2,566
- Out-of-State
- $8,710
- Avg Net Price
- $2,245
- Median Debt
- $6,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 37%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 0%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $1,371
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $2,169
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $3,271
- Family Income $110K+
- $7,179
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 Wayne 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 Wayne Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Wayne Community College report median earnings of $34,148, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $31,900
- 8 Years
- $35,000
- 10 Years
- $34,148
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.19x
- Earning > $25K
- 41%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (92)
- 26%
- 100% (92)
- 26%
- 100% (92)
- 26%
- 100% (92)
- 26%
How Wayne 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 Wayne Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Wayne Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $2,245/year ($8,980 total). Graduates earn $34,148 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $735,862 in total earnings — a net gain of $726,882 (81.9× your investment). The median debt is $6,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 53% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $8,980
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $735,862
- Net Return
- $726,882
- ROI Multiple
- 81.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $2,245
- Median Debt
- $6,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 53%
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 Wayne Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Wayne 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 0.87%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.1% 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 4.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.87%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 4.8%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 18.1%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $74,590
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $3,331,929
- Investment Income
- $8,398
Top Programs
The fields Wayne 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.
- Business & Marketing 18% $27,732 early-career
- Humanities 14%
- Computer Science & IT 13% $40,390 early-career
- Health Professions 13% $61,913 early-career
- Precision Production 8% $42,081 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 7% $38,275 early-career
- Criminal Justice 5%
- Education 3% $22,845 early-career
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 Wayne 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 Wayne Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Wayne Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 53%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Wayne Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Wayne Community College is $8,710, 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 $2,245. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,371 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $6,500 in federal student loans.
Is Wayne Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Wayne Community College report median earnings of $34,148, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Wayne Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Wayne 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 0.87%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 18.1% 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 4.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $54,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Wayne 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 Wayne Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.61, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Wayne Community College.
- Ogden-Weber Technical CollegeOgden, UT · Close peer54% grad $35,032 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeBowling Green, KY · Close peer55% grad $34,242 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
- Lake Land CollegeMattoon, IL · Close peer56% grad $38,877 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- West Kentucky Community and Technical CollegePaducah, KY · Close peer49% grad $34,891 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Florence-Darlington Technical CollegeFlorence, SC · Close peer27% grad $32,748 earnWhy: similar earnings
- Mountainland Technical CollegeLehi, UT · Close peer81% grad $31,963 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Wayne 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 Wayne Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.61, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note