Volunteer State Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Gallatin, Tennessee. It enrolls 5,339 students (a large 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.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
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
58/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes12
Value70
Affordability55
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Volunteer State 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 Volunteer State 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 $7,802 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$7,802
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
33%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
5%
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)
$4,756
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$17,740
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,610
Books & Supplies
$1,470
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,430
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,401
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
$6,733
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,441
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,965
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,880
Over $110,000
$13,530
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.
$1,35010%percentile
$2,01825%percentile
$7,550Medianpercentile
$8,25075%percentile
$14,00090%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 $5,000
↓ $2,550
No Pell $4,000
↓ $3,550
Dependent students $3,500
↓ $4,050
Independent students $5,925
↓ $1,625
Female students $4,750
↓ $2,800
Male students $4,500
↓ $3,050
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,000, less than completers ($7,550), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
22% of full-time students who enrolled at Volunteer State Community College graduate within six years, and 51% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
22%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
51%
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 Volunteer State Community College earn a median of $41,150 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,150
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
$31,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$42,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$38,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,500, about 27% 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 ↑
13.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Volunteer State Community College is home to 5,339 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 46% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
5,339
Part-Time
34%
First-Generation
46%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 69.3%3,701
Hispanic 11.6%617
Black 10.9%581
Other 5.1%270
Asian 1.5%80
International 0.6%33
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Volunteer State Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbGallatin, Tennessee
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
25%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Volunteer State Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
22 distinct programs across
10 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 Volunteer State Community College is 19:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,900
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$7.2M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,241
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
163 instructional faculty across 4 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
20
12%
$85,833
Associate Professors
76
47%
$72,695
Assistant Professors
28
17%
$62,794
Instructors
39
24%
$54,448
Pros & Cons of Volunteer State Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Volunteer State 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
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
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, Volunteer State 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.
Frequently Asked Questions about Volunteer State Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Volunteer State Community College.
Is Volunteer State Community College hard to get into?
Volunteer State Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Volunteer State Community College?
Volunteer State Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Volunteer State Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Volunteer State Community College is $7,802 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Volunteer State Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,150 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $7,802 per year. That's roughly 5.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Volunteer State Community College known for?
Volunteer State Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Allied Health Diagnostic. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Volunteer State Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Volunteer State Community College are $41,150, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Volunteer State Community College accredited?
Yes. Volunteer State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Volunteer State Community College?
Volunteer State Community College enrolls 5,339 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Volunteer State Community College?
Volunteer State Community College graduates 22% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Volunteer State Community College a public or private college?
Volunteer State Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Volunteer State Community College located?
Volunteer State Community College is located in Gallatin, Tennessee.
What programs does Volunteer State Community College offer?
Volunteer State Community College offers 22 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Allied Health Diagnostic.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Volunteer State Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Volunteer State Community College is 19:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Tennessee
Other colleges in Tennessee share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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