Flathead Valley Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Kalispell, Montana. It enrolls 1,202 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.
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
60/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes31
Value64
Affordability37
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Flathead Valley 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 Flathead Valley 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 $8,099 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$8,099
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
19%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
10%
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)
$4,912
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$11,659
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,277
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,160
Books & Supplies
$1,125
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$7,434
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,434
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,882
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
$6,341
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,484
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,903
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,293
Over $110,000
$12,552
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.
$2,00010%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$10,500Medianpercentile
$12,81475%percentile
$19,97290%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 $7,616
↓ $2,884
No Pell $5,500
↓ $5,000
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $5,000
Independent students $9,543
↓ $957
Female students $7,455
↓ $3,045
Male students $5,500
↓ $5,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($10,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
24% of full-time students who enrolled at Flathead Valley Community College graduate within six years, and 65% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
24%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
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 Flathead Valley Community College earn a median of $38,520 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$38,520
Earning > $25K
63%
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
$28,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $15,000, about 35% 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 ↑
14.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 77% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Flathead Valley Community College is home to 1,202 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 40% are first-generation college students, 49% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
1,202
Part-Time
49%
First-Generation
40%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 80.7%970
Other 6.5%78
Hispanic 4.2%50
Asian 1.3%15
International 0.8%9
Black 0.7%8
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Flathead Valley Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteKalispell, Montana
Housing
Limited on-campus housing124 beds
Adult Learners
26%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Flathead Valley Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
32 distinct programs across
13 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 Flathead Valley Community College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,757
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$17M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$55,987
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
46 instructional faculty across 3 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
13
28%
$65,544
Associate Professors
19
41%
$60,123
Assistant Professors
14
30%
$53,327
Pros & Cons of Flathead Valley Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Flathead Valley 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
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
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Flathead Valley 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 Flathead Valley Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Flathead Valley Community College.
Is Flathead Valley Community College hard to get into?
Flathead Valley Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Flathead Valley Community College?
Flathead Valley Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Flathead Valley Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Flathead Valley Community College is $8,099 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Flathead Valley Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $38,520 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $8,099 per year. That's roughly 4.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Flathead Valley Community College known for?
Flathead Valley Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Precision Metal Working. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Flathead Valley Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Flathead Valley Community College are $38,520, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Flathead Valley Community College accredited?
Yes. Flathead Valley Community College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Flathead Valley Community College?
Flathead Valley Community College enrolls 1,202 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Flathead Valley Community College?
Flathead Valley Community College graduates 24% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Flathead Valley Community College a public or private college?
Flathead Valley Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Flathead Valley Community College located?
Flathead Valley Community College is located in Kalispell, Montana.
What programs does Flathead Valley Community College offer?
Flathead Valley Community College offers 32 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Precision Metal Working.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Flathead Valley Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Flathead Valley Community College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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