Grand Rapids Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It enrolls 10,698 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.
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
57/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes19
Value61
Affordability47
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids 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 $8,621 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$8,621
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
29%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
14%
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)
$4,179
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,219
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,227
Books & Supplies
$616
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,555
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,658
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
$7,373
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,292
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,362
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,582
Over $110,000
$14,013
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.
$1,41110%percentile
$2,25025%percentile
$9,000Medianpercentile
$9,00075%percentile
$15,52890%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 $5,500
↓ $3,500
No Pell $5,250
↓ $3,750
Dependent students $5,250
↓ $3,750
Independent students $5,501
↓ $3,499
Female students $5,500
↓ $3,500
Male students $5,250
↓ $3,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,375, less than completers ($9,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
19% of full-time students who enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College graduate within six years, and 61% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
19%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
61%
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 Grand Rapids Community College earn a median of $38,377 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$38,377
Earning > $25K
63%
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
$30,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$39,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$30,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$36,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$40,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,100, about 23% 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 ↑
24.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 75% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Grand Rapids Community College is home to 10,698 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 41% are first-generation college students, 66% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
10,698
Part-Time
66%
First-Generation
41%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 56.5%6,041
Hispanic 20.6%2,203
Black 10.9%1,170
Other 5.0%533
Asian 3.9%412
International 0.5%58
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Grand Rapids Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize CityGrand Rapids, Michigan
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
31%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Grand Rapids Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
53 distinct programs across
14 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 Grand Rapids Community College is 20:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,608
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$16M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$87,534
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
209 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
86
41%
$105,885
Associate Professors
40
19%
$88,857
Assistant Professors
66
32%
$69,665
Instructors
17
8%
$60,960
Pros & Cons of Grand Rapids Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Grand Rapids 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
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
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, Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Grand Rapids Community College.
Is Grand Rapids Community College hard to get into?
Grand Rapids Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Grand Rapids Community College?
Grand Rapids Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Grand Rapids Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Grand Rapids Community College is $8,621 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Grand Rapids Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $38,377 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $8,621 per year. That's roughly 4.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Grand Rapids Community College known for?
Grand Rapids Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Grand Rapids Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Grand Rapids Community College are $38,377, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Grand Rapids Community College accredited?
Yes. Grand Rapids Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Grand Rapids Community College?
Grand Rapids Community College enrolls 10,698 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Grand Rapids Community College?
Grand Rapids Community College graduates 19% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Grand Rapids Community College a public or private college?
Grand Rapids Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Grand Rapids Community College located?
Grand Rapids Community College is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
What programs does Grand Rapids Community College offer?
Grand Rapids Community College offers 53 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Grand Rapids Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Grand Rapids Community College is 20:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Michigan
Other colleges in Michigan 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.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
