Private Nonprofit Associate Good 64/100

Helms College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

Compare This College

Augusta, Georgia

About Helms College

Thinking about Helms College, a college in Georgia where more students graduate in Personal Services than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Helms College is a private nonprofit institution offering associate degrees based in Augusta, Georgia. It enrolls 183 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
61.7%
Net Price
$25,358
Median Earnings (10yr)
—
Enrollment
183
Student : Faculty
14:1

Accreditor Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training
Academic Calendar Quarter

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
64/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 47
Value —
Affordability 52
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Helms College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.

Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $25,358 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$25,358
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
67%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
61%
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
$17,924
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,792
Books & Supplies
$750
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,435
Total Cost of Attendance
$30,291

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
    $25,130
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $24,250
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $24,529
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $30,291
  • Over $110,000
    $30,291

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.

$3,167
10% percentile
$5,500
25% percentile
$9,500
Median percentile
$10,457
75% percentile
$13,875
90% 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 $8,208 ↓ $1,292
No Pell $7,934 ↓ $1,566
Dependent students $8,208 ↓ $1,292
Independent students $8,718 ↓ $782
Female students $7,501 ↓ $1,999
Male students $9,500 —
Pell recipients: 16.4% (1,557 students)No Pell: 15.8% (1,505 students)Dependent students: 16.4% (1,557 students)Independent students: 17.4% (1,654 students)Female students: 15.0% (1,423 students)Male students: 19.0% (1,803 students)Overall Median$9,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,645, less than completers ($9,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

62% of students who start here finish within six years, and 70% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
62%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
70%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Helms College has not reported graduate earnings. Where that figure is missing, the programs section below is the better guide, since pay follows the field you study more closely than the college you attend.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
—
Earning > $25K
—
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$21,000$21,500$22,500$23,500$24,5006 yrs8 yrs

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 183 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 47% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
183
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
47%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Black 74.3% 136
White 21.9% 40
Hispanic 2.2% 4
Other 1.6% 3
Black: 74.3% (136 students)White: 21.9% (40 students)Hispanic: 2.2% (4 students)Other: 1.6% (3 students)Total183

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Helms College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Midsize City Augusta, Georgia
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
59% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarter scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Helms College offers a focused set of programs: 2 distinct programs across 1 major. 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.

2 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$39,843
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

11 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 11 100% $39,843

Pros & Cons of Helms College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Helms College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Open admissions
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • Low typical debt at graduation
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Modest first-year retention
Best for: Based on the data, Helms College is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Helms College

The questions families ask most about Helms College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Helms College hard to get into?
Not especially. Helms College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Helms College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Helms College cost?
Budget around $25,358 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Helms College known for?
Mostly Culinary Arts, Culinary Arts. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Helms College accredited?
Yes. Helms College is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training.
How many students attend Helms College?
183 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Helms College?
62% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Helms College a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Helms College located?
Helms College is located in Augusta, Georgia.
What programs does Helms College offer?
2 different programs, most commonly Culinary Arts, Culinary Arts. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Helms College?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Continue Exploring

Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.