South Mountain Community College

PublicAssociate's: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/NontraditionalTwo-year, small

Fin. Resilience

Resilience score

vs. 98 peers in its group

South Mountain Community College is a public institution in Phoenix, AZ, classified by Carnegie as “Associate's: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional.”

It enrolls about 3,645 undergraduates and is benchmarked here against 98 peer institutions (Associate's: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional · Public).

On Ibex's Financial Resilience score it rates 37 out of 100 within that peer group, a transparent composite of endowment per undergraduate, net tuition revenue per student, and instructional spend per student.

Its strongest standing relative to peers is full-time faculty share (100%, 100th percentile).

Its weakest is loan repayment rate (5-yr) (26.3%).

Peer group

Associate's: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional · Public

98 institutions

No cross-metric risk flags triggered.

Policy & demographic exposure

How exposed South Mountain Community College is to the structural shifts reshaping higher ed: a composite structural-risk index plus the 2025 federal budget law’s endowment excise tax, Grad PLUS elimination, new Parent PLUS borrowing cap and new Workforce Pell short-term-credential opportunity, and the demographic enrollment cliff. Only signals that apply to this institution are shown.

Structural risk index

Elevated

Workforce Pell exposure

56.9%

Certificate-intensive

Higher than 43% of schools nationally

Enrollment cliff (home state)

-4.9%

Moderate decline

Indicative signals, not forecasts, see each metric’s definition and the methodology. Endowment-tax, Grad PLUS, Parent PLUS and Workforce Pell figures appear only where the institution is actually exposed; “nationally” compares against all schools that report each signal.

Turn these signals into action

Seeing exposure is step one. Ibex builds AI agents that monitor and act on exactly these pressures, explore an interactive demo. Live demos run real workflows; the rest are working mockups we build to your institution’s data.

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Revenue composition

Where the money comes from $40.6M total revenue · IPEDS FY2022-23

Government appropriations is the largest single source at 63% of revenue.

Government appropriations62.8%

Government grants & contracts28.4%

Tuition & fees7.1%

Private gifts & grants1.1%

Auxiliary enterprises0.5%

Investment return0.1%

Other revenue0.0%

Where each dollar of revenue comes from, as a share of total positive revenue. Sources are standardized across public (GASB) and private (FASB) reporting; a net investment loss in a down market is shown as 0% and excluded from the mix.

Net price by income

Average net price by family income After grant & scholarship aid · Scorecard 2024-25

$0–30K$11,902

$30–48K$11,932

$48–75K$13,987

$75–110K$17,329

$110K+$17,132

Average annual net price (total cost minus grant and scholarship aid) paid by federal-aid recipients in each family-income band. Lower-income bands often pay less where need-based aid is strong.

Financial Health

Net tuition revenue / FTE

Average

$1,772

44th percentile in peer grouppeer median $2,200

98 peers

Instructional spend / FTE

Below peers

$6,231

30th percentile in peer grouppeer median $7,694

98 peers

In-state tuition & fees

$2,358

36th percentile in peer grouppeer median $3,336

98 peers

Out-of-state tuition & fees

$8,958

38th percentile in peer grouppeer median $9,881

98 peers

Avg annual cost of attendance

$18,898

81st percentile in peer grouppeer median $15,532

98 peers

Avg monthly faculty salary

Strong

$10,731

72nd percentile in peer grouppeer median $8,804

98 peers

Average monthly salary of full-time faculty, as reported to IPEDS.

Average net price

Below peers

$12,780

95th percentile in peer grouppeer median $8,390

98 peers

Net price, low-income families (under $30K)

Below peers

$11,902

95th percentile in peer grouppeer median $6,347

2024-2597 peers

Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn under about $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). This is what the neediest admitted students actually pay, often far below the sticker price. Read it beside the overall net price and the high-income net price: a low figure here signals strong need-based aid. Lower is better.

Net price, high-income families (over $110K)

$17,132

79th percentile in peer grouppeer median $13,702

2024-2585 peers

Average annual net price paid by students whose families earn more than about $110,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), close to the full-pay cost since little need-based aid applies. Reported as context: the gap between this and the low-income net price shows how steeply the school discounts by family income. Not a measure of quality.

Net price, middle-income families ($30K-$48K)

Below peers

$11,932

92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median $6,728

2024-2597 peers

Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn roughly $30,000 to $48,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the middle rung of the income net-price ladder: read it together with the low-income (under ~$30K) and high-income (over ~$110K) net prices to see how steeply the school discounts as family income rises. Lower is better.

Net price, upper-middle families ($48K-$75K)

Below peers

$13,987

91st percentile in peer grouppeer median $9,064

2024-2598 peers

Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn roughly $48,000 to $75,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the fourth rung of the five-rung income net-price ladder: read it with the low, middle, upper and high-income net prices to see how steeply the school discounts as family income rises. Lower is better.

Net price, upper-income families ($75K-$110K)

Below peers

$17,329

94th percentile in peer grouppeer median $11,525

2024-2596 peers

Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn roughly $75,000 to $110,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the fifth rung of the income net-price ladder, just below the full-pay tier: read it with the lower rungs and the high-income net price to see the full cost gradient by family income. Lower is better.

Operating margin

Thin

19th percentile in peer grouppeer median 8.5%

FY2022-2397 peers

Net surplus as a share of total revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23): (total revenues − total expenses) ÷ total revenues. A surplus above 4% is strong; a thin surplus near 0% leaves little margin for shocks.

Tuition dependency

7.1%

38th percentile in peer grouppeer median 9.3%

FY2022-2397 peers

Tuition & fees as a share of total revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23). Higher = more exposed to enrollment swings.

State appropriations share

9th percentile in peer grouppeer median 21.4%

FY2022-2397 peers

State appropriations as a share of total revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23). Material for public institutions; ~0 for private.

Structural risk index

Elevated

– percentile in peer group

2024-2597 peers

An indicative 0–100 structural-risk index (higher = more pressure), an equal-weight blend of the stress signals we measure: thin or negative operating margin, low months of operating cushion, high tuition dependency, and a shrinking home-state high-school-graduate pipeline (enrollment cliff). Averaged over whichever signals are available (at least two required). It screens for the financial and demographic pressures that precede closures and mergers, a directional indicator, NOT a prediction that any institution will close, and not a credit rating.

Net-cost payback period

Below peers

16.9 yrs

85th percentile in peer grouppeer median 6.4 yrs

2024-2581 peers

Four-year net price divided by the median 10-year earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate in the institution's state (College Scorecard earnings and net price; U.S. Census Bureau ACS state baselines). A simple value-for-cost gauge: fewer years is stronger. Shown only where net price and earnings are both reported and earnings exceed the state high-school baseline; it ignores aid timing, debt and non-completion, so read it as a directional comparison, not a financial projection.

Graduation & completion

Graduation rate · first-time, full-time

16.3%

16.3% graduate within 6 years (150% of normal time)
Counts only students who entered full-time as first-time freshmen and earned a bachelor's here, the conventional headline rate. Excludes part-time entrants and transfer-ins.

Completion rate · all students

16.9%

16.9% earned a degree or certificate within 8 years (IPEDS Outcome Measures)
The broader cohort, also counts part-time entrants and transfer-ins, and any credential. More inclusive, so it can run higher than the graduation rate.

Why two numbers? They measure different students over different windows, so they are not directly comparable. The graduation rate is the standard federal headline but tracks only first-time, full-time students through a bachelor's; the all-students completion rate adds the part-time and transfer students it leaves out, over a longer window. Read each for what it covers. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Graduation Rates & Outcome Measures, via College Scorecard.

Enrollment & Pipeline

Undergraduate enrollment

3,645

36th percentile in peer grouppeer median 5,324

98 peers

Graduation rate (6-yr · first-time, full-time)

Below peers

16.3%

27th percentile in peer grouppeer median 21.3%

15 peers

Pell recipient share

29.6%

68th percentile in peer grouppeer median 26.5%

98 peers

Completion rate (all students · 8-yr)

Below peers

16.9%

6th percentile in peer grouppeer median 27.4%

2024-2598 peers

Share of ALL entering degree-seeking undergraduates, full- and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, who earned a degree or certificate at this institution within eight years (IPEDS Outcome Measures, via College Scorecard). Broader and more inclusive than the graduation-rate figures, which count only first-time, full-time students entering a bachelor's program, so the two are measured on different groups of students and are not directly comparable.

First-generation students

59%

92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 47.8%

2024-2597 peers

Share of undergraduates who are first-generation college students (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An access signal, not a measure of quality: a higher share often reflects a stronger commitment to serving students whose parents did not attend college.

Adult learners (25+)

28.2%

59th percentile in peer grouppeer median 26.4%

2024-2597 peers

Share of undergraduates aged 25 or older (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read as context on the student mix: schools serving many working adults look different on persistence and part-time measures than traditional-age campuses, and neither is inherently better.

Part-time undergraduates

61.8%

49th percentile in peer grouppeer median 63%

2024-2598 peers

Share of undergraduates enrolled part-time (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Context, not quality: a high part-time share is common at community and commuter institutions and affects graduation-rate comparisons, which are based only on full-time, first-time students.

Military veterans

0.7%

42nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.8%

2024-2577 peers

Share of the student body who are military veterans (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A context signal on whom the school serves; reported by a minority of institutions, so many schools show none.

Median family income

$21,078

45th percentile in peer grouppeer median $21,586

2024-2597 peers

Median family income of students at this institution (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An affordability and access signal, not a measure of quality: a lower figure typically means the school enrolls more students from modest-income families.

Low-income students (under $30K)

65.2%

61st percentile in peer grouppeer median 62.4%

2024-2597 peers

Share of students whose families earn under roughly $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A direct low-income access signal: a higher share usually reflects a school enrolling more students from modest-income households, and pairs naturally with the Pell recipient share.

Women (share of undergraduates)

62.1%

74th percentile in peer grouppeer median 56.6%

2024-2598 peers

Share of undergraduates who are women (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Reported as context on the student mix, not a measure of quality.

Middle-income students ($30K-$75K)

30.1%

34th percentile in peer grouppeer median 31.1%

2024-2593 peers

Share of students whose families earn roughly $30,000 to $75,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the two middle income bands combined. Reported as context on the student mix: together with the low-income (under ~$30K) and upper-income (over ~$75K) shares it sketches the full family-income picture, and the three bands sum to about 100%.

Upper-income students (over $75K)

4.6%

23rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 9.9%

2024-2573 peers

Share of students whose families earn more than roughly $75,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the two upper income bands combined. Reported as context on the student mix, not a measure of quality: together with the low-income (under ~$30K) and middle-income (~$30K-$75K) shares it sketches the full family-income picture, and the three bands sum to about 100%.

8-year completion (all students)

Below peers

16.9%

6th percentile in peer grouppeer median 27.4%

2024-2598 peers

Share of ALL entering students, full-time and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, who complete an award within eight years (College Scorecard Outcome Measures, FY2024-25). It is a broader, more representative completion signal than the first-time-full-time graduation rates, because it counts the part-time and returning students those rates exclude. Higher is better.

Transfer-out rate

18.1%

33rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 19.7%

2024-2515 peers

Share of students who transfer OUT to a different institution within the tracking window (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Reported as context, not a quality measure: it runs high at access-oriented schools and two-year feeders whose students routinely move on to a four-year program, and it should be read together with the completion and retention figures rather than on its own.

12-month FTE enrollment

1,787

23rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 3,980

2022-2398 peers

Full-time-equivalent enrollment over the full 12-month year (IPEDS 12-month enrollment, 2022-23). Counts part-time students at their fractional load, so it runs above fall full-time headcount and is the denominator used for per-student finance measures.

Student-faculty ratio

17:1

44th percentile in peer grouppeer median 19:1

2022-2398 peers

Students per instructional faculty member (IPEDS, fall 2023). Lower generally means smaller classes and more faculty contact, though the measure mixes undergraduate and graduate teaching and is institution-reported.

Out-of-state students

44th percentile in peer grouppeer median 1%

2024-2577 peers

Share of first-time degree-seeking students coming from outside the state (IPEDS, Fall 2023). A reach signal: high values mark national-draw institutions, low values mark in-state and commuter campuses. Context, not quality.

Fully online students

30%

51st percentile in peer grouppeer median 30%

2024-2598 peers

Share of students enrolled exclusively in distance-education courses (IPEDS, Fall 2023). Describes delivery model, not quality; online-heavy institutions look different on residential measures.

Applicant-pool diversity shift

+6.5%

– percentile in peer group

WICHE 2024 (11th ed.)98 peers

Percentage-point change in the non-white share of the institution's home-state public high-school graduating class between the class of 2025 (the national peak) and 2037 (WICHE, Knocking at the College Door, 11th ed., public-school race detail). A forward look at who the future applicant pool will be: a positive value means the state's graduating class is projected to grow more racially diverse. Strategic recruiting context, not a forecast of any one school's enrollment, and a college recruits from many states.

Program concentration (HHI)

Moderately concentrated

1,854

– percentile in peer group

2022-2398 peers

How concentrated the institution's degree and certificate output is across academic fields (CIP 2-digit families), as a Herfindahl-Hirschman Index on the latest year's completions: 10,000 means every completion is in one field; lower means output is spread across many. A higher value means the school leans on fewer fields and is more exposed to demand shifts in them; a lower value reflects a broad program portfolio. Shown for institutions reporting at least 100 annual completions. A structural-diversification signal, not a measure of quality.

Enrollment cliff (home state)

Moderate decline

-4.9%

– percentile in peer group

2024-2598 peers

Projected change in the number of high-school graduates in the institution's HOME STATE from the class of 2025 (the national peak) to 2041, per WICHE's Knocking at the College Door, 11th Edition (Dec 2024). The 'enrollment cliff' is the post-2008 birth decline reaching college age; the U.S. total is projected to fall about 13% over this window. A college recruits from many states, so its home-state projection is an indicative directional signal of feeder-market pressure, not a forecast of that institution's own enrollment.

Workforce Pell exposure

Certificate-intensive

56.9%

– percentile in peer group

2024-2596 peers

Share of the institution's measured credentials that are undergraduate certificates, the sub-associate tier that the 2025 budget law's new Workforce Pell Grant makes Pell-eligible from July 1, 2026. Workforce Pell extends the Pell Grant to short-term workforce programs of 150 to 600 clock hours offered over 8 to 15 weeks, subject to state-workforce-board and accreditor approval and to job-placement, completion and earnings-value guardrails. This is an opportunity signal: a higher share means more of what the school already produces could draw new federal grant aid, and the upside is greatest where Pell reliance (shown separately) is also high. Computed as undergraduate-certificate completions divided by all credential completions in the College Scorecard Field-of-Study file (most recent release). Scorecard's 'Undergraduate Certificate' level spans certificates of varying length, so the statutory 150-600 clock-hour window is a subset of this tier, read this as an upper-bound exposure proxy, not a count of qualifying programs. Shown only for institutions that confer such certificates above a minimum completions floor.

Enrollment momentum (CAGR)

Strong

1.5%

92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median -2.3%

2024-2598 peers

Compound annual growth rate of undergraduate enrollment over the years the tool tracks (College Scorecard, roughly 2016-2024). Positive means the school is growing; negative means it is shrinking, the leading indicator of demand stress ahead of the demographic cliff. Banded against the school's peer group.

Net-price momentum (CAGR)

Below peers

3.9%

85th percentile in peer grouppeer median 1.2%

2024-2598 peers

Compound annual growth rate of net tuition revenue per full-time-equivalent student over the tracked years. A high positive rate means the school's real net price is climbing faster than peers, which can strain affordability and yield. Banded against the school's peer group. Lower is better.

States recruited from

Average

56th percentile in peer grouppeer median 4

Fall 202298 peers

How many distinct US states the school's first-time degree-seeking class is drawn from (IPEDS Residence & Migration, Fall 2022). A higher count signals broader geographic reach and less dependence on any single state's shrinking pool of high school graduates; a low count means the school recruits from a narrow region and is more exposed to that region's demographic decline. Banded against the school's peer group.

Foreign first-time share

51st percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%

Fall 202298 peers

Share of the school's first-time degree-seeking class whose legal residence is outside the United States (IPEDS Residence & Migration, Fall 2022). A measure of international reach in the entering class. Neither high nor low is inherently better; it is context for tuition-revenue mix and exposure to visa and geopolitical risk. Banded against the school's peer group.

Direct competitors within 100 mi

Below peers

89th percentile in peer grouppeer median 3

2024-2598 peers

How many institutions of the same type (same Carnegie classification and control, i.e. the schools competing for the same students) sit within roughly 100 miles. A higher count means a more crowded local market and a harder yield fight, which matters most as the regional pool of high school graduates shrinks; a low count means the school has its catchment largely to itself. Distance is straight-line from campus coordinates. Banded against the school's peer group. Fewer is better for recruiting leverage.

Hybrid (some online) enrollment

29%

59th percentile in peer grouppeer median 29%

Fall 202398 peers

Share of all students taking some, but not all, of their courses at a distance (IPEDS, Fall 2023). This is the hybrid middle ground between the fully online share and the fully in-person share, and it signals how far a school has moved coursework online without going exclusively remote. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.

Transfer-in share (undergraduate)

12.9%

89th percentile in peer grouppeer median 5.7%

Fall 202398 peers

Transfer-in students as a share of all undergraduates (IPEDS, Fall 2023). A high share means the school depends on transfer pipelines rather than first-time freshmen, which changes both recruitment strategy and melt/retention risk. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.

Graduate share of enrollment

100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%

Fall 202398 peers

Graduate students as a share of total headcount enrollment (IPEDS, Fall 2023). It separates research-intensive universities with large graduate bodies from undergraduate-focused institutions. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.

Women share of faculty

61.2%

87th percentile in peer grouppeer median 55.7%

2023-2498 peers

Women as a share of all instructional staff, full- and part-time combined (IPEDS Human Resources, Fall 2023). A gender-composition signal for the teaching workforce. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.

Faculty of color share

43.4%

88th percentile in peer grouppeer median 21.1%

2023-2498 peers

Instructional staff who are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or two-or-more races, as a share of all instructional staff (IPEDS Human Resources, Fall 2023). Nonresident and race-unknown staff are excluded from the numerator. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.

Enrollment forecast (5-yr)

Below peers

-32.7%

17th percentile in peer grouppeer median -21.4%

2024-2029 projection98 peers

Projected cumulative change in total enrollment roughly five years out, modeled by a least-squares log-linear fit on the school's own enrollment history (2016-2024). It uses the full multi-year series, so a single shock year (such as 2020) does not drive the result. This is a naive trend extrapolation, not a demographic model, and is capped at plus or minus 60 percent; treat it as direction-of-travel, not a precise count. Banded against the school's peer group; higher means projected growth.

Varsity athlete share

10.1%

65th percentile in peer grouppeer median 7.7%

2024-2579 peers

Student-athletes on varsity rosters as a share of total enrollment, from the federal Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filing (2024-25). At small athletics-driven schools this share is large and athletics recruiting is a core part of the enrollment funnel; at big universities it is small. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.

Athletics revenue (total)

$1.4M

59th percentile in peer grouppeer median $1.1M

2024-2579 peers

Total revenue attributed to the school's intercollegiate-athletics program, from the federal Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filing (2024-25). It indicates the scale of the athletics enterprise, which at some schools is a major brand and enrollment driver. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.

On-campus crime rate

Below peers

1.1 per 1k

93rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.1 per 1k

2024 (Clery)98 peers

Criminal offenses reported on campus in 2024 (murder, manslaughter, the four sex-offense categories, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor-vehicle theft and arson) per 1,000 students, from the school's federal Clery Act filing. Counts and enrollment are summed across the institution's campuses. A higher number does not always mean a more dangerous school: thorough reporting and dense residential campuses raise it. Lower is generally safer. Banded against the school's peer group.

In-state HS graduates

85,639

35th percentile in peer grouppeer median 121,741

Class of 2025 (WICHE)98 peers

The size of the school's home-state high-school graduating class in 2025 (WICHE Knocking at the College Door, public and private combined). It is the near-term in-state feeder market, the complement to the enrollment-cliff projection, which shows the direction that market is heading. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.

Metro-area unemployment rate

Average

4.7%

35th percentile in peer grouppeer median 5.2%

ACS 2019-2394 peers

The civilian unemployment rate in the school's metropolitan or micropolitan area (US Census ACS 2019-23, mapped by the school's federal CBSA code). It is a proxy for local labor demand: a lower rate means a tighter job market, a stronger near-term destination for graduates and a smaller pool of working adults to recruit. It describes the local economy, not the school. Schools outside any metro area are not scored. Banded against the school's peer group.

Completion equity

Six-year graduation rate by group First-time, full-time bachelor’s cohort · Scorecard 2024-25

White24%

Black20%

Hispanic/Latino14%

Asian33%

American Indian/Alaska Native0%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander0%

Two or more races12%

International50%

Pell recipients14%

Six-year graduation rate (150% of normal time) for the first-time, full-time bachelor’s cohort, broken out by race and ethnicity and for Pell-grant recipients (College Scorecard). Each bar uses the same measure as the headline graduation rate, so the gaps between groups are directly comparable. School overall: 16%.

Student body

Undergraduate race & ethnicity IPEDS 2024-25

Hispanic/Latino56.7%

White16.5%

Black14.3%

Two or more races4.9%

American Indian/Alaska Native3.1%

Asian2.2%

Unknown1.8%

International0.3%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander0.2%

Undergraduate enrollment by race and ethnicity, as reported to IPEDS (College Scorecard). “International” denotes nonresident students; “Unknown” means race/ethnicity was not reported.

Student Outcomes & Risk

Median earnings (10 yr)

Average

$39,825

37th percentile in peer grouppeer median $41,190

97 peers

Median debt at graduation

Strong

$8,000

29th percentile in peer grouppeer median $9,656

76 peers

3-yr cohort default rate

Below peers

17.5%

80th percentile in peer grouppeer median 14.1%

FY2017 cohort92 peers

Share of borrowers who defaulted within three years of entering repayment (U.S. Dept. of Education official cohort default rate). Shown for the FY2017 borrower cohort, the most recent cohort whose full three-year default window closed before the 2020-23 federal student-loan payment pause. More recent cohorts are reported by the College Scorecard at essentially 0%, but that reflects the payment pause (no payments were due, so almost no one could default), not borrower health, so the pre-pause cohort is the last meaningful reading. Lower is better.

Share taking federal loans

8.5%

69th percentile in peer grouppeer median 4.7%

98 peers

Full-time faculty share

Strong

100%

100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 36.7%

98 peers

Debt-to-earnings ratio

Average

0.20×

36th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.22×

76 peers

Loan repayment rate (3-yr)

21.6%

5th percentile in peer grouppeer median 38.1%

2024-2591 peers

Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within three years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read it as context, not a simple good/bad score: a low rate can mean borrowers are struggling, but it can also mean many graduates have postponed payments while enrolled in graduate or professional school, which is common at selective schools and pushes their rate down. Unlike the cohort default rate, it is not distorted by the 2020-23 federal payment pause. Reported only where enough borrowers exist.

Earn more than a HS grad (6-yr)

Average

44.5%

48th percentile in peer grouppeer median 45%

2024-2595 peers

Share of students earning more than $28,000 a year, roughly what a typical high-school graduate earns, six years after entering this institution (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A direct read on whether attending beats not attending, and conceptually aligned with the 2025 budget law's program-level earnings-premium test.

Working 10 years after entry

Average

80.7%

54th percentile in peer grouppeer median 80.5%

2024-2597 peers

Share of students who are working (not still enrolled) ten years after entering this institution, of those whose employment status is known (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A coarse employment signal; it does not capture earnings level or job quality.

Withdrew by year 2

Below peers

52.2%

83rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 46.7%

2024-2598 peers

Share of students who had withdrawn from this institution by the end of their second year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An early-attrition signal, where lower is better; high part-time or adult-learner enrollment can raise it without reflecting institutional quality.

Loan repayment rate (5-yr)

Below peers

26.3%

2nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 43.5%

2024-2588 peers

Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within five years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), a longer-horizon companion to the three-year repayment rate. As with the three-year figure, a low rate can reflect graduates deferring payments while in further schooling rather than financial distress.

Median earnings (6 yr)

Average

$35,633

60th percentile in peer grouppeer median $35,027

2024-2597 peers

Median earnings of former students who are working and were federally aided, measured six years after they first enrolled (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A shorter-horizon companion to the ten-year earnings figure; early-career pay tends to run below the ten-year mark, so read the two together rather than in isolation.

Earn more than a HS grad (10-yr)

Below peers

54.1%

31st percentile in peer grouppeer median 56.9%

2024-2593 peers

Share of students earning more than $28,000 a year, roughly what a typical high-school graduate earns, ten years after entering this institution (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). The long-horizon companion to the six-year figure and the closest public analogue to the 2025 budget law's program-level earnings-premium test.

Median debt (did not complete)

Strong

$4,500

23rd percentile in peer grouppeer median $5,500

2024-2587 peers

Median federal loan debt carried by students who withdrew from this institution without completing a credential (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). The counterpart to debt at graduation, and often the higher-risk group: borrowing with no degree to show for it. Lower is better, but compare it against the school's completion and withdrawal rates rather than on its own.

Loan repayment rate (1-yr)

Below peers

16.6%

5th percentile in peer grouppeer median 32.1%

2024-2591 peers

Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within one year of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the earliest point on the repayment curve. As with the longer-horizon rates, a low figure can reflect borrowers deferring payments while in further schooling rather than financial distress.

Loan repayment rate (7-yr)

Below peers

38%

8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 51.3%

2024-2586 peers

Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within seven years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the longest horizon reported. Together with the one-, three-, and five-year rates it traces how repayment progresses over time.

Median debt (first-generation students)

Strong

$4,500

17th percentile in peer grouppeer median $5,822

2024-2582 peers

Median cumulative federal loan debt carried by first-generation students, those whose parents did not complete college (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read it beside the all-students median debt: a gap between the two is an equity signal about who shoulders the borrowing. Lower is better, but weigh it against completion and earnings.

Median debt (Pell recipients)

Strong

$4,750

16th percentile in peer grouppeer median $6,250

2024-2581 peers

Median cumulative federal loan debt carried by Pell Grant recipients (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the lowest-income federally-aided students at the school. Compare it with the all-students median debt and the Pell share: it shows how much the neediest students borrow to attend. Lower is better.

Median earnings, low-income students (10-yr)

Average

$37,484

40th percentile in peer grouppeer median $39,218

2024-2580 peers

Median earnings ten years after entering, measured only for students who came from the lowest family-income tier, under about $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read it beside the overall median earnings: a school whose low-income students go on to earn near the all-student figure is delivering real upward mobility, while a large gap signals the payoff is not reaching its neediest students. Higher is better.

Median earnings, middle-income students (10-yr)

Below peers

$44,098

22nd percentile in peer grouppeer median $47,130

2024-2580 peers

Median earnings ten years after entering, measured only for students from middle-income families, roughly $30,000 to $75,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the middle rung of the earnings-by-family-income ladder: read it beside the low-income (under ~$30K) and high-income (over ~$75K) figures to see whether the school's payoff is even across backgrounds or tracks who students were when they arrived. Higher is better.

Median earnings, high-income students (10-yr)

Average

$50,680

48th percentile in peer grouppeer median $51,366

2024-2580 peers

Median earnings ten years after entering, measured only for students from higher-income families, over about $75,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the top rung of the earnings-by-family-income ladder: the gap between this and the low-income figure shows how much the school's earnings payoff depends on family background. A narrow gap signals strong upward mobility. Higher is better.

Return on credential

Below peers

0.53×

21st percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.69×

2024-2597 peers

Median 10-year earnings divided by the four-year cost of attendance (average annual cost × 4). A rough payback ratio: 1.0× means a graduate's annual 10-year earnings roughly equal the full four-year sticker cost. Earnings reflect federally-aided students; cost of attendance is the published sticker price before aid, so this is conservative relative to what families net of aid pay.

Field-demand outlook (10-yr)

Outpaces job-market average

+3.4%

9th percentile in peer group

BLS EP 2024-3464 peers

Projected 10-year (2024-34) change in U.S. employment for the occupations this institution's degrees and certificates feed, blended across its program mix. Built by mapping each CIP 2-digit field to its occupations via the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk, taking the employment-weighted average of each occupation's BLS-projected percent change, then weighting fields by the institution's latest-year completions. The U.S. all-occupations benchmark is 3.1%, so a higher value means the school's graduates concentrate in faster-growing labor markets. An INDICATIVE field-level signal at broad-field granularity, not a program-specific or graduate-specific projection, and not a placement or earnings guarantee. Shown where at least 50% of completions fall in fields with a coherent occupational mapping and the school reports 100+ annual completions.

Pell completion gap

Average

+0%

60th percentile in peer grouppeer median +0%

2024-2515 peers

The school's overall six-year graduation rate minus the graduation rate of its Pell Grant recipients (College Scorecard). A larger positive gap means lower-income students complete at a lower rate than the student body overall; a value near zero means the school graduates Pell and non-Pell students at similar rates. Banded against the school's peer group. Smaller is better.

Black-White completion gap

Strong

+0%

17th percentile in peer grouppeer median +0.1%

2024-2512 peers

The school's White-student six-year graduation rate minus its Black-student rate (College Scorecard). A larger positive gap means Black students complete at a lower rate; a value near zero means the school closes that gap. Reported only where both groups make up a meaningful share of the student body, so a handful of students in one subgroup cannot drive the number. Banded against the school's peer group. Smaller is better.

Net-value index

Below peers

35.0

14th percentile in peer grouppeer median 49.0

2024-2598 peers

A 0-100 composite of student value relative to the peer group: the average of peer percentile ranks for median earnings ten years out, graduation rate, net price (lower counts as better value) and median debt (lower is better). Built only where at least two components are reported. Higher means more outcome per dollar. Banded against the school's peer group.

Earnings spread

Earnings 10 years after entry: the middle 50% Working, federally-aided former students · Scorecard 2024-25

25th percentile$20,741

Median$39,825

75th percentile$57,129

Annual earnings of working former students measured ten years after they first enrolled (College Scorecard), shown as a range rather than a single number. The middle half of this school’s graduates earn between the 25th- and 75th-percentile figures; the Median bar matches the headline earnings figure. A wider gap means more variation in how graduates fare. Bars are scaled to the highest value shown.

Top fields of study (all levels)

South Mountain Community College’s largest fields by completions, with graduate earnings (4 years out) and debt benchmarked against the same field at its peer group. Sparklines show the 8-year completions trend.

Field	Completions / yr	Median earnings, 4 yrs out	Median debt	Earnings premium	Risk score
Liberal Arts & Humanities	229	–	$9,000 55th pct · 71 peers	–	High · 74
Visual & Performing Arts	229	–	$9,000 62th pct · 8 peers	–	Moderate · 57
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies	84	–	–	–	Low · 0
Business, Management & Marketing	68	–	–	–	Low · 0
Computer & Information Sciences	53	–	–	–	Low · 19
Business, Management & Marketing	36	–	–	–	Low · 32
Construction Trades	34	–	–	–	Low · 0
Computer & Information Sciences	25	–	–	–	Moderate · 55
Physical Sciences	24	–	–	–	High · 74
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies	20	–	–	–	Low · 0

Earnings-premium status is an indicative estimate: median graduate earnings four years out vs the AZ state median earnings of a high-school graduate (undergraduate credentials) or a bachelor’s-degree holder (graduate credentials) from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2022 ACS 5-year). The official U.S. Department of Education determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.

The risk score (0–100) is an indicative blend of earnings-premium margin and the five-year completions trend, higher means a field pays closer to (or below) the benchmark and is shrinking. A directional screen, not an official determination.

Major-level detail (CIP 4-digit)

Liberal Arts & Humanities – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesCIP 2401 ›	229	–	–	–	$9,000	–	–	–

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Visual & Performing Arts – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
Fine and Studio ArtsCIP 5007 ›	229	– n=81	–	61.7%	$9,000	–	–	–

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies – 2 CIP programs (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
Behavioral SciencesCIP 3017 ›	58	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Natural SciencesCIP 3018 ›	26	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 2 majors show an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Business, Management & Marketing – 5 CIP programs (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
Business/Commerce, GeneralCIP 5201 ›	53	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCIP 5202 ›	6	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsCIP 5207 ›	5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Accounting and Related ServicesCIP 5203 ›	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Human Resources Management and ServicesCIP 5210 ›	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 5 majors show an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Computer & Information Sciences – 5 CIP programs (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
Computer Software and Media ApplicationsCIP 1108 ›	22	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementCIP 1110 ›	15	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Computer ProgrammingCIP 1102 ›	12	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsCIP 1109 ›	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralCIP 1101 ›	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Business, Management & Marketing – 4 CIP programs (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCIP 5202 ›	28	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Business/Commerce, GeneralCIP 5201 ›	6	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Accounting and Related ServicesCIP 5203 ›	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Human Resources Management and ServicesCIP 5210 ›	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 4 majors show an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Construction Trades – 3 CIP programs (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
CarpentersCIP 4602 ›	14	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersCIP 4603 ›	14	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Plumbing and Related Water Supply ServicesCIP 4605 ›	6	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 3 majors show an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Computer & Information Sciences – 5 CIP programs (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
Computer Software and Media ApplicationsCIP 1108 ›	10	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementCIP 1110 ›	9	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralCIP 1101 ›	4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Computer ProgrammingCIP 1102 ›	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Computer ScienceCIP 1107 ›	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Physical Sciences – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
Physical Sciences, GeneralCIP 4001 ›	24	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings

Major (CIP 4-digit)	Compl./yr	Earn 4yr	Earn 1yr	% > threshold	Median debt	Debt/earn	Earnings premium	2 of 3 yrs
Behavioral SciencesCIP 3017 ›	20	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

See the interactive dashboard for all fields and credential levels (associate through doctoral). Source: College Scorecard Field of Study.

Frequently asked

What is South Mountain Community College's student-faculty ratio?

South Mountain Community College reports a student-faculty ratio of 17:1 (IPEDS, fall 2023) – that is, about 17 students for every instructional faculty member.

How much does South Mountain Community College cost?

The average published cost of attendance is $18,898 and the average net price after aid is $12,780 (College Scorecard).

How much do South Mountain Community College graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,825 (College Scorecard), measured across students who received federal aid.

Which schools are South Mountain Community College's peers?

South Mountain Community College is benchmarked against 98 institutions in the Associate's: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional · Public peer group; all percentiles and medians on this page are computed within that group.

Compare with peers

Central Oregon Community College Dutchess Community College Palo Verde College Lemoore College Yavapai College City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College

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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent releases), with the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Projections, field-demand outlook) and WICHE (enrollment-cliff projections). Figures lag the current academic year by roughly two to three years. Percentiles and medians are computed within the institution's peer group. Financial Resilience is a transparent composite, see each component above. Compiled by Ibex Insights.