Wharton County Junior College
- Graduation Rate
- 24% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $44,960 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $4,666 A
- 73% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 4,585
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 62.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $62.9 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $62.9 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,156,095.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 24% — 59% below the national average.
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Social mobility rate of 2.87% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
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Every $1 invested returns $62.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Wharton County Junior College Matters
Wharton County Junior College is a public community college in Wharton, TX and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
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
- 4,585
- Setting
- Town
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Mechanic & Repair Tech
Why students choose Wharton County Junior 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 $4,666 a year after grants and scholarships — 73% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $44,960 ten years after enrolling — 10% above the typical college, against $7,703 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 12% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.20 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of around 4,585 students, Wharton County Junior College offers a supportive environment for those pursuing practical and career-focused education. The college stands out for its diverse program offerings, including popular fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, and Culinary & Personal Services. Students here often appreciate the hands-on training and the direct path to employment that these programs provide.
Graduates from Wharton County Junior College can expect to earn about $44,960 after ten years in the workforce. This figure highlights the potential for upward mobility, as it indicates that many students find solid job opportunities post-graduation. The affordability of education here is another advantage, allowing students to focus on their studies without the burden of overwhelming debt. With 27% of students receiving Pell Grants, it's clear that the college is accessible for those from lower-income backgrounds.
Looking at the practical aspects, the net price after aid is approximately $4,666, which is quite manageable compared to many institutions. The median debt for graduates is around $7,703, suggesting that students can graduate with relatively low financial stress. Those who thrive here often appreciate a hands-on learning approach and are motivated to enter the workforce quickly, making it a good fit for individuals focused on practical skills and career readiness.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Wharton County Junior 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 Wharton County Junior College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Wharton, Texas, Wharton County Junior College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 24%.
- Retention Rate
- 71%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 57%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,482
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 17:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.69
- First-Gen Students
- 43%
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 Wharton County Junior College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Wharton County Junior College is $5,904, 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 $4,666. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,779 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,703 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $3,192
- Out-of-State
- $5,904
- Avg Net Price
- $4,666
- Median Debt
- $7,703
- Pell Grant Rate
- 27%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 16%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $1,779
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $2,267
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $5,236
- Family Income $110K+
- $10,787
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 Wharton County Junior 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 Wharton County Junior College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Wharton County Junior College report median earnings of $44,960, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $36,405
- 8 Years
- $41,437
- 10 Years
- $44,960
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.17x
- Earning > $25K
- 56%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (173)
- 13%
- 100% (173)
- 13%
- 100% (173)
- 13%
- 100% (173)
- 13%
How Wharton 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 Wharton County Junior College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Wharton County Junior College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $4,666/year ($18,664 total). Graduates earn $44,960 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,174,759 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,156,095 (62.9× your investment). The median debt is $7,703, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 24% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $18,664
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,174,759
- Net Return
- $1,156,095
- ROI Multiple
- 62.9×
- Cost Per Year
- $4,666
- Median Debt
- $7,703
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 24%
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 Wharton County Junior College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Wharton County Junior 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 2.87%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.7% 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 22.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $75,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.87%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 22.6%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 12.7%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $102,578
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $6,755,686
- Investment Income
- $-2,257,371
Top Programs
The fields Wharton County Junior 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 46%
- Health Professions 13% $68,105 early-career
- Business & Marketing 12%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 5% $40,453 early-career
- Criminal Justice 4% $59,833 early-career
- Culinary & Personal Services 4% $15,400 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 2%
- Precision Production 1% $45,495 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 Wharton County Junior 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 Wharton County Junior College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Wharton, Texas, Wharton County Junior College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 24%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Wharton County Junior College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Wharton County Junior College is $5,904, 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 $4,666. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,779 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $7,703 in federal student loans.
Is Wharton County Junior College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Wharton County Junior College report median earnings of $44,960, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Wharton County Junior College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Wharton County Junior 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 2.87%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.7% 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 22.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $75,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Wharton County Junior 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 Wharton County Junior College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.20, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.07). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Wharton County Junior College.
- Kapiolani Community CollegeHonolulu, HI · Close peer21% grad $44,599 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- St Charles Community CollegeCottleville, MO · Close peer24% grad $42,422 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- CUNY Hostos Community CollegeBronx, NY · Close peer17% grad $40,485 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright CollegeChicago, IL · Close peer32% grad $41,625 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- CUNY Queensborough Community CollegeBayside, NY · Close peer23% grad $44,214 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Rowan College at Burlington CountyMount Laurel, NJ · Close peer37% grad $44,745 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Wharton County Junior 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 Wharton County Junior College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.20, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.07). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note