Gaston College

www.gaston.edu

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    2024 Undergraduate Tuition
    $2,432
    2024 Average Net Price
    $8,055
    After Financial Aid
    2024 Enrolled Students
    6,443
    26.4% Full-Time
    2024 Graduation Rate
    63.1%
    238 Graduates

    About

    Gaston College is a higher education institution located in Gaston County, NC. In 2024, the most popular Associates Degree concentrations at Gaston College were Liberal Arts & Sciences (432 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (56 degrees), and General Business Administration & Management (41 degrees).

    In 2024, 2,244 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Gaston College. 69.1% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 30.9% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,146 degrees), 3.85 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (298 degrees).

    The median undergraduate tuition at Gaston College is $2,432, which is $−5,728 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($8,160).

    Associates Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High TraditionalAssociates Colleges

    Costs

    In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Gaston College is $2,432, which is $5,728 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($8,160).

    After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $8,055.

    In 2024, 31% of undergraduate students attending Gaston College received financial aid through grants.

    Tuition Costs

    $2,432
    2024 Undergraduate Tuition

    In 2024, the cost of tuition at Gaston College was $2,432. The cost of tuition at Gaston College is $−5,728 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Associates Colleges ($8,160).

    This chart compares the tuition costs of Gaston College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

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    Average Net Price

    $8,055
    2024 Value
    1.76%
    1 Year Growth

    In 2024 Gaston College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $8,055. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Gaston College grew by 1.76%.

    This chart compares the average net price of Gaston College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

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    Other Student Expenses

    $10,380
    Room and Board
    $1,460
    Books and Supplies

    The average yearly cost of room and board at Gaston College was of $10,380 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 25% between 2023 and 2024.

    During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,460. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

    This chart compares the average student costs at Gaston College (in red) with that of similar universities.

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    Financial Aid by Income Level

    31%
    Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

    31% of undergraduate students at Gaston College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 13.9% with respect to 2023, when 36% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

    This chart compares the average award discount at Gaston College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

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    Enrollment

    Gaston College had a total enrollment of 6,443 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Gaston College is 1,699 students and the part-time enrollment is 4,744. This means that 26.4% of students enrolled at Gaston College are enrolled full-time.

    The enrolled student population at Gaston College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 40% White, 12.8% Black or African American, 10.1% Hispanic or Latino, 2.62% Two or More Races, 0.947% Asian, 0.248% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.031% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

    Students enrolled at Gaston College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (27.7%), followed by White Male (19.5%) and Black or African American Female (8.41%).

    Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

    26.4%
    Full-Time Enrollment

    The total enrollment at Gaston College in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 6,443 students. The full-time enrollment at Gaston College is 1,699 and the part-time enrollment is 4,744. This means that 26.4% of students enrolled at Gaston College are enrolled full-time compared with 31.9% at similar Associates Colleges.

    This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Gaston College (in red) compares to similar universities.

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    Retention Rate over Time

    54%
    2024 Retention Rate

    Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Gaston College was 54%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Associates Colleges (64%), Gaston College had a retention rate lower than its peers.

    This chart shows the retention rate over time at Gaston College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

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    Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

    Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      2,578 enrolled students
    2. Black or African American
      826 enrolled students
    3. Hispanic or Latino
      648 enrolled students

    The enrolled student population at Gaston College is 40% White, 12.8% Black or African American, 10.1% Hispanic or Latino, 2.62% Two or More Races, 0.947% Asian, 0.248% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.031% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Associates Colleges is 41.3% White, 28.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.2% Black or African American.

    Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2,110 students (32.7%) did not report their race.

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    Graduates

    In 2024, 858 more women than men received degrees from Gaston College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Gaston College is white (1,146 degrees awarded). There were 3.85 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (298 degrees).

    The most common Associates Degree concentration at Gaston College is Liberal Arts & Sciences (432 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (56 degrees) and General Business Administration & Management (41 degrees).

    In 2024,  the most specialized majors across all degree types at Gaston College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Biology (411 degrees awarded), Communication Technologies (19 degrees), and Construction (54 degrees).

    Common Jobs by Major

    Physicians
    Most Common Job

    The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Gaston College are Physicians (405,213 people), Other managers (192,172 people), Police officers (145,050 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (136,123 people), and Postsecondary teachers (120,292 people).

    The most specialized majors at Gaston College in 2024 are Biology (411 degrees awarded), Communication Technologies (19 degrees), Construction (54 degrees), Protective Services (125 degrees), and Liberal Arts & Humanities (475 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Highest Paying Jobs by Major

    Surgeons
    Highest Paying Job

    The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Gaston College are Surgeons, Agents & business managers of artists, performers, & athletes, Correspondence clerks & order clerks, Physicians, and Chief executives & legislators

    The most specialized majors at Gaston College are Biology (411 degrees awarded), Communication Technologies (19 degrees), Construction (54 degrees), Protective Services (125 degrees), and Liberal Arts & Humanities (475 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Common Industries by Major

    General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals
    Most Common Industry

    The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Gaston College are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (527,840 people), Justice, public order, & safety activities (345,689 people), Elementary & secondary schools (327,160 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (324,931 people), and Offices of physicians (193,893 people).

    The most specialized majors at Gaston College are Biology (411 degrees awarded), Communication Technologies (19 degrees), Construction (54 degrees), Protective Services (125 degrees), and Liberal Arts & Humanities (475 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Majors Awarded

    IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Gaston College.
    Most Common (2024)
    1. Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training
      54 degrees awarded
    2. Medical Assistant
      31 degrees awarded
    3. Welding Technology
      15 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate concentration at Gaston College was Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training with 54 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate programs at Gaston College according to their major.

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    Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

    693
    Degrees Awarded to Men
    in 2024
    1,551
    Degrees Awarded to Women
    in 2024

    In 2024, 693 degrees were awarded to men at Gaston College, which is 0.447 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,551).

    This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Gaston College by degrees awarded.

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    Most Common Male Majors

    In 2024, 166 degrees were awarded to men at Gaston College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 0.624 times less than the 266 female recipients with that same degree.

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    Most Common Female Majors

    In 2024, 373 degrees were awarded to men at Gaston College in Biotechnology, which is 9.82 times more than the 38 male recipients with that same degree.

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    Time to Complete

    38%
    100% Completion Time
    51%
    150% Completion Time

    In 2024, 38% of students graduating from Gaston College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 51% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 53% within 200%.

    The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Associates Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

    Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

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    Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

    Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.
    Hispanic or Latino Male
    Highest Graduation Rate (68.4%)

    The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2024 at Gaston College is Male and Hispanic or Latino (68.4% graduation rate). Across all Associates Colleges, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (75.5%).

    The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Share

    Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      1,146 degrees awarded
    2. Black or African American
      298 degrees awarded
    3. Hispanic or Latino
      223 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity at Gaston College is white (1,146 degrees awarded). There were 3.85 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (298 degrees).

    19.8% of degree recipients (445 students) did not report their race.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Sex

    Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)
    1. White Female
      1,585 degrees awarded
    2. White Female
      1,393 degrees awarded
    3. White Female
      930 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Gaston College is white female (1,585 degrees awarded). There were 1.14 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (1,393 degrees).

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    Operations

    Gaston College has an endowment valued at nearly $6.17M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 1.39M (22.5%) compared to the 12.8% average return (818k on 6.41M) across all Associates Colleges.

    In 2024, Gaston College had a total salary expenditure of 65.9M. Gaston College employs 150 No academic ranks. Most academics at Gaston College are Female No academic rank (101), and Male No academic rank (49).

    The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Gaston College are: Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 80 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 44 employees, and Management with 43 employees.

    Endowment

    $6.17M
    2024 Endowment
    2.56%
    growth from 2023

    Gaston College has an endowment valued at about $6.17M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Gaston College grew 2.56% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $245k lower than than the median endowment of Associates Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

    This line chart shows how the endowment at Gaston College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

    The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Associates Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Traditional Carnegie Classification grouping.

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    Salary Expenditure

    $28.5M
    2024 Salaries
    8.02%
    growth from 2023

    In 2024, Gaston College paid a median of $28.5M in salaries, which represents 43.3% of their overall expenditure ($65.9M) and a 8.02% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 5.12% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 21.1% growth between 2021 and 2022.

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    Instructional Salaries

    $9.66M
    Instructional Salaries
    150
    Number of Employees

    In 2024, Gaston College paid a total of $9.66M to 150 employees working as instructors, which represents 33.8% of all salaries paid.

    This is compared to a median of $720k (4.04%) for similar Associates Colleges.

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    Occupations by Share

    In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Gaston College were Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 80 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 44 employees, and Management with 43 employees.

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