About J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College
Thinking about J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College, a college in Alabama where more students graduate in Health 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.
J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Huntsville, Alabama. It enrolls 755 students (a small, tight-knit 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.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
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
58/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes7
Value64
Affordability70
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, J. F. Drake State Community and Technical 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 $6,005 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,190
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,060
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,450
Books & Supplies
$2,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,050
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,456
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
$5,916
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,108
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,546
$75,001 – $110,000
$7,763
What this means:
Aid reaches a meaningful share of the student body: 44% 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
9% of students who start here finish within six years, and 52% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. 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
9%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
52%
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
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $28,281 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$28,281
Earning > $25K
47%
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
$24,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$32,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,900, 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:
Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$4.7 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 755 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 59% are the first in their family to go to college, and 59% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
755
Part-Time
59%
First-Generation
59%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 60.4%456
White 21.9%165
Hispanic 7.8%59
Other 7.5%57
International 1.5%11
Asian 0.7%5
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College offers
a varied set of programs:
14 distinct programs across
7 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.
There are 12 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,302
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$58,591
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
25 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
25
100%
$58,591
Pros & Cons of J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College
No college is right for everyone. Here is where J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
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, J. F. Drake State Community and Technical 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 J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College
The questions families ask most about J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College hard to get into?
Not especially. J. F. Drake State Community and Technical 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 J. F. Drake State Community and Technical 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 J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College cost?
Budget around $6,005 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.
Is J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $28,281 a year against a net price of $6,005, about 4.7 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College known for?
Mostly Nursing, Industrial Production Tech, Practical Nursing. 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.
What do J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College graduates earn?
About $28,281 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College accredited?
Yes. J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College?
755 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 J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College?
9% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College located?
J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College is located in Huntsville, Alabama.
What programs does J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College offer?
14 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Industrial Production Tech, Practical Nursing. 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 J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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