Wharton County Junior College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Wharton, Texas. It enrolls 4,585 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.
Strong
72/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes41
Value92
Affordability58
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Wharton County Junior 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 Wharton County Junior 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 $4,666 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$4,666
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
27%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
16%
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)
$3,192
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$5,904
Room & Board (on-campus)
$6,000
Room & Board (off-campus)
$7,277
Books & Supplies
$1,618
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,619
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,439
Total Cost of Attendance
$11,463
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
$1,779
$30,001 – $48,000
$2,267
$48,001 – $75,000
$5,236
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,365
Over $110,000
$10,787
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
$2,75025%percentile
$7,703Medianpercentile
$9,50075%percentile
$15,17790%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
↓ $2,203
No Pell $5,500
↓ $2,203
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $2,203
Independent students $6,924
↓ $779
Female students $5,500
↓ $2,203
Male students $5,500
↓ $2,203
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, close to what completers borrow ($7,703) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
20% of full-time students who enrolled at Wharton County Junior College graduate within six years, and 73% 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
73%
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 Wharton County Junior College earn a median of $44,960 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,960
Earning > $25K
69%
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
$36,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$52,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$39,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$44,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$51,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $16,400, about 31% 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 ↑
12.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 66% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Wharton County Junior College is home to 4,585 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 43% are first-generation college students, 55% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
4,585
Part-Time
55%
First-Generation
43%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 46.8%2,146
White 22.9%1,048
Asian 15.4%708
Black 12.9%592
Other 1.7%76
International 0.0%1
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Wharton County Junior College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: DistantWharton, Texas
Housing
Limited on-campus housing127 beds
Adult Learners
15%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Wharton County Junior College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
45 distinct programs across
21 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 Wharton County Junior College is 17:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
17:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$3,966
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$12M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$56,127
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
159 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
159
100%
$56,127
Pros & Cons of Wharton County Junior College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Wharton County Junior 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
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Wharton County Junior 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 Wharton County Junior College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Wharton County Junior College.
Is Wharton County Junior College hard to get into?
Wharton County Junior College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Wharton County Junior College?
Wharton County Junior College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Wharton County Junior College cost?
The average net price after aid at Wharton County Junior College is $4,666 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Wharton County Junior College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,960 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $4,666 per year. That's roughly 9.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Wharton County Junior College known for?
Wharton County Junior College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business, Health/Medical Preparatory. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Wharton County Junior College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Wharton County Junior College are $44,960, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Wharton County Junior College accredited?
Yes. Wharton County Junior College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Wharton County Junior College?
Wharton County Junior College enrolls 4,585 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Wharton County Junior College?
Wharton County Junior College graduates 20% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Wharton County Junior College a public or private college?
Wharton County Junior College is a Public institution.
Where is Wharton County Junior College located?
Wharton County Junior College is located in Wharton, Texas.
What programs does Wharton County Junior College offer?
Wharton County Junior College offers 45 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business, Health/Medical Preparatory.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Wharton County Junior College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Wharton County Junior College is 17:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Rankings That Feature Wharton County Junior College
Wharton County Junior College appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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The top Biology colleges in Texas, ranked by UCD Score on outcomes, value, and net price.
91 UCD Score
104 Colleges
$1,300 Lowest Net
$89,718 Top Earn
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80 UCD Score
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$1,751 Lowest Net
$78,354 Top Earn
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88 UCD Score
99 Colleges
$1,300 Lowest Net
$63,199 Top Earn
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$1,300 Lowest Net
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