River Parishes Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Gonzales, Louisiana. It enrolls 1,880 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.
Fair
55/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes16
Value49
Affordability54
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, River Parishes 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 River Parishes 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 $10,756 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$10,756
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
41%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
28%
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
$4,079
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,802
Books & Supplies
$1,353
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,167
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,783
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
$9,922
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,548
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,534
$75,001 – $110,000
$13,977
Over $110,000
$15,779
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.
$2,02410%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$12,000Medianpercentile
$11,63775%percentile
$23,50090%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 $7,760
↓ $4,240
No Pell $5,500
↓ $6,500
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $6,500
Independent students $9,500
↓ $2,500
Female students $8,250
↓ $3,750
Male students $5,500
↓ $6,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,863, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
20% of full-time students who enrolled at River Parishes Community College graduate within six years, and 55% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
20%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
55%
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 River Parishes Community College earn a median of $37,848 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$37,848
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
$26,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$55,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $29,200, about 52% 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.
Stable ↓
0.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 73% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
River Parishes Community College is home to 1,880 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 46% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,880
Part-Time
36%
First-Generation
46%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 46.6%876
Black 42.8%804
Hispanic 5.9%111
Other 3.5%65
Asian 0.3%5
International 0.2%3
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at River Parishes Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeGonzales, Louisiana
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
26%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Predominantly Black Institution (PBI)
What You Can Study
River Parishes Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
18 distinct programs across
8 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 River Parishes Community College is 23:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
23:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,646
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$2.1M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$56,029
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
58 instructional faculty across 5 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
8
14%
$66,721
Associate Professors
5
9%
$58,536
Assistant Professors
6
10%
$54,892
Instructors
38
66%
$54,023
No Rank
1
2%
$41,000
Pros & Cons of River Parishes Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how River Parishes Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
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
Best for:
Based on the data, River Parishes Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about River Parishes Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about River Parishes Community College.
Is River Parishes Community College hard to get into?
River Parishes Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at River Parishes Community College?
River Parishes Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does River Parishes Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at River Parishes Community College is $10,756 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is River Parishes Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $37,848 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $10,756 per year. That's roughly 3.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is River Parishes Community College known for?
River Parishes Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Industrial Production Tech, Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do River Parishes Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering River Parishes Community College are $37,848, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is River Parishes Community College accredited?
Yes. River Parishes Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend River Parishes Community College?
River Parishes Community College enrolls 1,880 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at River Parishes Community College?
River Parishes Community College graduates 20% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is River Parishes Community College a public or private college?
River Parishes Community College is a Public institution.
Where is River Parishes Community College located?
River Parishes Community College is located in Gonzales, Louisiana.
What programs does River Parishes Community College offer?
River Parishes Community College offers 18 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Industrial Production Tech, Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at River Parishes Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at River Parishes Community College is 23:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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