Big Sandy Community and Technical College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. It enrolls 1,604 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
72/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes32
Value90
Affordability77
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Big Sandy Community and Technical College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Big Sandy Community and Technical College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $3,873 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$3,873
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
44%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
15%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,728
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,432
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,814
Books & Supplies
$1,268
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,602
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,047
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$3,198
$30,001 – $48,000
$3,432
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,409
$75,001 – $110,000
$8,776
Over $110,000
$7,877
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,12125%percentile
$9,357Medianpercentile
$11,71775%percentile
$20,10090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,079
↓ $2,278
No Pell $5,500
↓ $3,857
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $3,857
Independent students $9,050
↓ $307
Female students $6,999
↓ $2,358
Male students $6,748
↓ $2,609
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,149, less than completers ($9,357), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
20% of full-time students who enrolled at Big Sandy Community and Technical College graduate within six years, and 60% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
20%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
60%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Big Sandy Community and Technical College earn a median of $32,954 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$32,954
Earning > $25K
55%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$22,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$36,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $14,800, about 40% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
23.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 61% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Big Sandy Community and Technical College is home to 1,604 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 60% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,604
Part-Time
32%
First-Generation
60%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 94.8%1,520
Other 1.9%31
Hispanic 1.4%22
Black 0.9%14
Asian 0.4%7
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Big Sandy Community and Technical College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemotePrestonsburg, Kentucky
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
26%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Big Sandy Community and Technical College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
40 distinct programs across
15 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Big Sandy Community and Technical College is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,564
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$50,822
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
72 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
36
50%
$59,738
Associate Professors
10
14%
$48,745
Assistant Professors
7
10%
$40,821
Instructors
18
25%
$38,812
Lecturers
1
1%
$36,796
Pros & Cons of Big Sandy Community and Technical College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Big Sandy Community and Technical College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Best for:
Based on the data, Big Sandy Community and Technical College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low.
Frequently Asked Questions about Big Sandy Community and Technical College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Big Sandy Community and Technical College.
Is Big Sandy Community and Technical College hard to get into?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Big Sandy Community and Technical College?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Big Sandy Community and Technical College cost?
The average net price after aid at Big Sandy Community and Technical College is $3,873 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Big Sandy Community and Technical College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $32,954 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $3,873 per year. That's roughly 8.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Big Sandy Community and Technical College known for?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Electrical and Power Transmission Installers. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Big Sandy Community and Technical College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Big Sandy Community and Technical College are $32,954, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Big Sandy Community and Technical College accredited?
Yes. Big Sandy Community and Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Big Sandy Community and Technical College?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College enrolls 1,604 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Big Sandy Community and Technical College?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College graduates 20% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Big Sandy Community and Technical College a public or private college?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College is a Public institution.
Where is Big Sandy Community and Technical College located?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College is located in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
What programs does Big Sandy Community and Technical College offer?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College offers 40 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Big Sandy Community and Technical College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Big Sandy Community and Technical College is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Kentucky
Other colleges in Kentucky share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Practical Nursing
Liberal Arts
Ground Transportation
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