
Gadsden, ALpublicwww.gadsdenstate.edu/
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Gadsden State Community College is an open-admissions, accredited institution in Gadsden, Alabama, offering over 70 programs across diverse academic divisions. Known for its affordability and accessibility, the college serves a predominantly White student population with a graduation rate of 39% (2020 cohort) and median earnings of $37,458 post-graduation. It provides extensive student life opportunities, including 40+ clubs, and robust financial aid options like the Cardinal Promise scholarship.
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Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Gadsden State Community College has open admissions, meaning no minimum ACT or GPA is required for enrollment (scores are used only for course placement). Sources report varying Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants.: 52.98% (CollegeBoard) and 100% (Niche, Peterson's). Applicants must complete an online application and submit documentation based on student type (e.g., first-time, transfer). The student body is predominantly White (38.2% female, 28.1% male).
Gadsden State offers across six academic divisions:
Popular programs include General Studies, Registered Nursing, and technical certificates. The college emphasizes affordability and accessibility, with courses available across five campuses.
Students can join 40+ clubs and organizations, including volunteer service groups and leadership programs. The Office of Student Life coordinates activities across all five campuses, fostering community through events like Preview Day. International students also have tailored extracurricular opportunities.
Gadsden State distinguishes itself through: 1. Open-access policy: No barriers to enrollment. 2. Affordability: Low Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. and generous scholarships like the Cardinal Promise. 3. Diverse programs: 70+ options, including high-demand health sciences. 4. Community focus: Extensive student life and support services.