Garden City Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Garden City, Kansas. It enrolls 1,474 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.
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
70/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes54
Value68
Affordability49
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Garden City 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 Garden City 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 $8,244 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$8,244
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
29%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
11%
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)
$3,690
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$4,320
Room & Board (on-campus)
$6,800
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,547
Books & Supplies
$420
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$8,187
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$8,187
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,071
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
$6,672
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,191
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,191
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,633
Over $110,000
$12,430
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.
$1,70010%percentile
$2,75025%percentile
$6,500Medianpercentile
$8,31575%percentile
$12,44190%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 $4,494
↓ $2,006
No Pell $5,500
↓ $1,000
Dependent students $4,898
↓ $1,602
Independent students $7,029
↑ $529
Female students $5,500
↓ $1,000
Male students $4,742
↓ $1,758
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,488, less than completers ($6,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
30% of full-time students who enrolled at Garden City Community College graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
30%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
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 Garden City Community College earn a median of $41,704 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,704
Earning > $25K
68%
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
$28,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$47,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$31,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$52,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $18,600, 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 ↑
8.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 71% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Garden City Community College is home to 1,474 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 48% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,474
Part-Time
26%
First-Generation
48%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 48.4%714
White 26.3%387
Black 8.3%123
International 7.5%110
Other 4.4%65
Asian 2.4%35
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Garden City Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteGarden City, Kansas
Housing
Partly residential540 beds available
Adult Learners
12%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Garden City Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
21 distinct programs across
8 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 Garden City Community College is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,647
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$7.3M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$62,414
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
68 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
15
22%
$68,260
Associate Professors
31
46%
$62,239
Assistant Professors
22
32%
$60,083
Pros & Cons of Garden City Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Garden City 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
Best for:
Based on the data, Garden City 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 Garden City Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Garden City Community College.
Is Garden City Community College hard to get into?
Garden City Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Garden City Community College?
Garden City Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Garden City Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Garden City Community College is $8,244 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Garden City Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,704 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $8,244 per year. That's roughly 5.1x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Garden City Community College known for?
Garden City Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Garden City Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Garden City Community College are $41,704, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Garden City Community College accredited?
Yes. Garden City Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Garden City Community College?
Garden City Community College enrolls 1,474 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Garden City Community College?
Garden City Community College graduates 30% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Garden City Community College a public or private college?
Garden City Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Garden City Community College located?
Garden City Community College is located in Garden City, Kansas.
What programs does Garden City Community College offer?
Garden City Community College offers 21 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Garden City Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Garden City Community College is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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