Harford Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Bel Air, Maryland. It enrolls 3,696 students (a mid-sized 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.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
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
64/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes44
Value66
Affordability36
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Harford 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 Harford 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 $9,234 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,234
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
21%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
10%
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)
$4,032
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,832
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,100
Books & Supplies
$1,300
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,656
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,821
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
$7,272
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,528
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,632
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,592
Over $110,000
$13,240
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.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,00025%percentile
$9,812Medianpercentile
$9,00075%percentile
$13,50090%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 $7,550
↓ $2,262
No Pell $6,500
↓ $3,312
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,312
Independent students $9,500
↓ $312
Female students $8,000
↓ $1,812
Male students $6,250
↓ $3,562
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,000, less than completers ($9,812), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
21% of full-time students who enrolled at Harford Community College graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
21%
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
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Harford Community College earn a median of $44,608 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,608
Earning > $25K
70%
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
$34,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$42,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$33,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$39,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$40,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,900, about 19% 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 ↑
12.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 73% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Harford Community College is home to 3,696 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 41% are first-generation college students, 59% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
3,696
Part-Time
59%
First-Generation
41%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 57.9%2,141
Black 18.4%679
Hispanic 8.4%309
Other 5.6%206
Asian 3.6%133
International 2.7%100
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Harford Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeBel Air, Maryland
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
23%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Harford Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
30 distinct programs across
15 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 Harford Community College is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,658
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$15M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$65,623
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
106 instructional faculty across 3 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
18
17%
$83,027
Associate Professors
31
29%
$65,692
Assistant Professors
57
54%
$60,090
Pros & Cons of Harford Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Harford 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
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Harford 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 Harford Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Harford Community College.
Is Harford Community College hard to get into?
Harford Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Harford Community College?
Harford Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Harford Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Harford Community College is $9,234 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Harford Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,608 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,234 per year. That's roughly 4.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Harford Community College known for?
Harford Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Harford Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Harford Community College are $44,608, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Harford Community College accredited?
Yes. Harford Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Harford Community College?
Harford Community College enrolls 3,696 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Harford Community College?
Harford Community College graduates 21% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Harford Community College a public or private college?
Harford Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Harford Community College located?
Harford Community College is located in Bel Air, Maryland.
What programs does Harford Community College offer?
Harford Community College offers 30 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Harford Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Harford Community College is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Maryland
Other colleges in Maryland 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.
Liberal Arts
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