Cleveland Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Shelby, North Carolina. It enrolls 1,097 students (a small, tight-knit 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.
Good
69/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes11
Value99
Affordability85
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Cleveland Community 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 Cleveland Community 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 $995 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$995
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
52%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
0%
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)
$2,602
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,746
Room & Board (off-campus)
$2,700
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$900
Total Cost of Attendance
$5,565
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
$498
$30,001 – $48,000
$1,600
$48,001 – $75,000
$1,676
$75,001 – $110,000
$3,987
What this means:
Aid reaches a meaningful share of the student body: 52% of students receive Pell grants. If your family qualifies for Pell, the real cost to you could be substantially lower than the average.
Graduation Rate & Retention
18% of full-time students who enrolled at Cleveland Community College graduate within six years, and 26% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
18%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
26%
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 Cleveland Community College earn a median of $33,755 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$33,755
Earning > $25K
56%
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
$25,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$33,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,000, about 24% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Strong return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$33.9 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Cleveland Community College is home to 1,097 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 49% are first-generation college students, 55% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
1,097
Part-Time
55%
First-Generation
49%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 66.7%732
Black 23.3%256
Hispanic 3.7%40
Other 3.3%36
International 0.9%10
Asian 0.4%4
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Cleveland Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: DistantShelby, North Carolina
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
29%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Cleveland Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
33 distinct programs across
12 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 Cleveland Community College is 15:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$14,665
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$1.8M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$55,154
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
76 instructional faculty across 1 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
No Rank
76
100%
$55,154
Pros & Cons of Cleveland Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Cleveland Community 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
Tight-knit, close community feel
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Cleveland Community 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; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cleveland Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Cleveland Community College.
Is Cleveland Community College hard to get into?
Cleveland Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Cleveland Community College?
Cleveland Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Cleveland Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Cleveland Community College is $995 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Cleveland Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $33,755 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $995 per year. That's roughly 33.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Cleveland Community College known for?
Cleveland Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Allied Health Diagnostic, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Cleveland Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Cleveland Community College are $33,755, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Cleveland Community College accredited?
Yes. Cleveland Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Cleveland Community College?
Cleveland Community College enrolls 1,097 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Cleveland Community College?
Cleveland Community College graduates 18% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Cleveland Community College a public or private college?
Cleveland Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Cleveland Community College located?
Cleveland Community College is located in Shelby, North Carolina.
What programs does Cleveland Community College offer?
Cleveland Community College offers 33 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Allied Health Diagnostic, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Cleveland Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Cleveland Community College is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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