Dawson Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Glendive, Montana. It enrolls 189 students (a very small, intimate 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.
AccreditorNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
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
58/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes29
Value58
Affordability37
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Dawson 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 Dawson 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 $9,931 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,931
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
24%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
18%
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)
$5,010
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,810
Room & Board (on-campus)
$8,600
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,600
Books & Supplies
$270
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,105
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
$8,162
$30,001 – $48,000
$6,157
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,970
$75,001 – $110,000
$12,438
Over $110,000
$16,105
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.
$1,94810%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$9,450Medianpercentile
$11,80075%percentile
$13,12890%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 $5,947
↓ $3,503
No Pell $5,500
↓ $3,950
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $3,950
Independent students $9,096
↓ $354
Female students $7,166
↓ $2,284
Male students $5,500
↓ $3,950
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($9,450), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
32% of full-time students who enrolled at Dawson Community College graduate within six years, and 50% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
32%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
50%
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 Dawson Community College earn a median of $41,951 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,951
Earning > $25K
71%
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
$27,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$46,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $19,000, about 41% 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:
Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$4.2 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Dawson Community College is home to 189 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 35% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
189
Part-Time
8%
First-Generation
35%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 58.7%111
Other 18.5%35
International 7.9%15
Hispanic 6.4%12
Black 5.8%11
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Dawson Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteGlendive, Montana
Housing
Strongly residential230 beds for 189 students
Adult Learners
6%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Dawson Community College offers
a focused set of programs:
9 distinct programs across
6 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 Dawson Community College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,250
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$4.1M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$54,775
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
13 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
Instructors
13
100%
$54,775
Pros & Cons of Dawson Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Dawson 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
Low typical debt at graduation
CONS
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Dawson 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; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dawson Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Dawson Community College.
Is Dawson Community College hard to get into?
Dawson Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Dawson Community College?
Dawson Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Dawson Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Dawson Community College is $9,931 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Dawson Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,951 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,931 per year. That's roughly 4.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Dawson Community College known for?
Dawson Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Mental Health Services, Precision Metal Working. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Dawson Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Dawson Community College are $41,951, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Dawson Community College accredited?
Yes. Dawson Community College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Dawson Community College?
Dawson Community College enrolls 189 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Dawson Community College?
Dawson Community College graduates 32% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Dawson Community College a public or private college?
Dawson Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Dawson Community College located?
Dawson Community College is located in Glendive, Montana.
What programs does Dawson Community College offer?
Dawson Community College offers 9 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Mental Health Services, Precision Metal Working.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Dawson Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Dawson Community College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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