Lawson State Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Birmingham, Alabama. It enrolls 2,900 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.
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
64/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes20
Value68
Affordability78
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Lawson 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 Lawson 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 $6,275 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$6,275
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
60%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
0%
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)
$5,040
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,910
Room & Board (on-campus)
$4,760
Room & Board (off-campus)
$7,560
Books & Supplies
$2,300
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,807
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,895
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
$6,102
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,464
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,151
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,449
What this means:
Aid reaches a meaningful share of the student body: 60% 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
14% of full-time students who enrolled at Lawson State Community College graduate within six years, and 60% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
14%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
60%
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 Lawson State Community College earn a median of $31,701 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$31,701
Earning > $25K
53%
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
$24,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$30,500
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $5,600, about 18% 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 ~$5.1 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Lawson State Community College is home to 2,900 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 47% are first-generation college students, 57% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
2,900
Part-Time
57%
First-Generation
47%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 78.9%2,288
White 11.2%324
Hispanic 4.9%143
Other 3.8%111
International 0.6%16
Asian 0.4%12
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Lawson State Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize CityBirmingham, Alabama
Housing
Limited on-campus housing156 beds
Adult Learners
33%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Historically Black College / University (HBCU)
What You Can Study
Lawson State Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
37 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 Lawson State Community College is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,464
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$597,500
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$66,496
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
81 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
81
100%
$66,496
Pros & Cons of Lawson State Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Lawson 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
Reasonable class sizes
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
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
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Lawson 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; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lawson State Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Lawson State Community College.
Is Lawson State Community College hard to get into?
Lawson State Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Lawson State Community College?
Lawson State Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Lawson State Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Lawson State Community College is $6,275 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Lawson State Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $31,701 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $6,275 per year. That's roughly 5.1x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Lawson State Community College known for?
Lawson State Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Mechanical Engineering Tech. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Lawson State Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Lawson State Community College are $31,701, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Lawson State Community College accredited?
Yes. Lawson State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Lawson State Community College?
Lawson State Community College enrolls 2,900 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Lawson State Community College?
Lawson State Community College graduates 14% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Lawson State Community College a public or private college?
Lawson State Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Lawson State Community College located?
Lawson State Community College is located in Birmingham, Alabama.
What programs does Lawson State Community College offer?
Lawson State Community College offers 37 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Mechanical Engineering Tech.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Lawson State Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Lawson State Community College is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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