Stanly Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Albemarle, North Carolina. It enrolls 1,465 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.
Strong
73/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes52
Value80
Affordability58
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Stanly Community 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 $5,721 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)
$2,672
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,816
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,809
Books & Supplies
$1,364
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,810
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,370
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
$5,640
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,354
$48,001 – $75,000
$7,252
$75,001 – $110,000
$5,570
What this means:
31% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.
Graduation Rate & Retention
16% of students who start here finish within six years, and 67% 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
16%
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
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $36,686 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,686
Earning > $25K
62%
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
$30,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$36,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $6,300, about 17% 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:
Strong return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$6.4 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,465 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 51% are the first in their family to go to college, and 67% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
1,465
Part-Time
67%
First-Generation
51%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 61.1%895
Black 21.9%321
Hispanic 5.6%82
Other 2.2%32
Asian 2.2%32
International 1.1%16
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Stanly Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Stanly Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
28 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.
There are 10 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,465
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$4.3M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$49,135
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
73 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
73
100%
$49,135
Pros & Cons of Stanly Community College
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Stanly Community 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
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Stanly 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 Stanly Community College
The questions families ask most about Stanly Community College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Stanly Community College hard to get into?
Not especially. Stanly Community 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 Stanly Community 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 Stanly Community College cost?
Budget around $5,721 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 Stanly Community College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $36,686 a year against a net price of $5,721, about 6.4 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 Stanly Community College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Teacher Education (K-12), Business Administration. 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 Stanly Community College graduates earn?
About $36,686 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 Stanly Community College accredited?
Yes. Stanly Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Stanly Community College?
1,465 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 Stanly Community College?
16% 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 Stanly Community College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Stanly Community College located?
Stanly Community College is located in Albemarle, North Carolina.
What programs does Stanly Community College offer?
28 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Teacher Education (K-12), Business Administration. 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 Stanly Community College?
10 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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