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Utah school profile

Salt Lake Community CollegeUSHE

Salt Lake City, Utah · USHE public

Official website

Compare with other schools (up to three)


InputCost to start

Net price$8K$0–$30,000 families
In-state tuition$4KPublished sticker price
ThroughputWho finishes

Finish on time29.2%Within 150% of expected time
OutputPay and debt

Typical pay$42KAbout 6 years after starting
Debt vs. 10-yr pay9%Median federal debt ÷ median pay 10 yrs after starting

What we see in the data

At Salt Lake Community College, net price is what families actually pay after grants and scholarships. For families in the $0–$30,000 income band, that was about $8K per year, higher than the median among USHE community colleges in Utah ($7K), and lower than the median among colleges nationwide ($15K).

Finish on time means completing within the normal time frame for the degree (for example, three years for a two-year associate's degree). About 29% of students finished on time, lower than the median among USHE community colleges in Utah (46%), and lower than the median among colleges nationwide (58%).

Typical pay six years after starting was about $42K, higher than the median among USHE community colleges in Utah ($38K), and higher than the median among colleges nationwide ($36K). Graduates who borrowed had a median of about $4K in federal loan debt at graduation, about the same as the median among USHE community colleges in Utah ($4K), and lower than the median among colleges nationwide ($10K). Ten years after starting, typical pay was about $48K; median federal debt was about 9% of that pay (College Scorecard affordability signal — not ED's program score).

About 40% of students are first in their family to attend college. Most undergraduates attend part-time (71%), which can affect how long it takes to finish.

Utah payroll records show typical pay of about $54K one year after finishing, higher than the $42K school-wide figure measured six years after starting. About 76% of associate's degree graduates had a job in Utah one year after finishing.

How to read these numbers

Pathways & Outcomes compares each school to Utah and national pathway medians using federal and state data. Numbers are school-wide averages — not every major or program. Small graduating classes may be hidden for privacy. Apprenticeships and some trade programs are not included.

Compared to Utah & national medians

Full comparison to medians among Utah colleges and colleges nationwide that report each measure in College Scorecard (not enrollment-weighted).

Measure This school Utah median US median vs medians
Net price ($0–$30k families) $8K $17K $15K Below Utah · Below US
Finish on time 29.2% 71.4% 58.3% Below Utah · Below US
Typical pay (6 yrs after starting) $42K $34K $36K Above Utah · Above US
Typical pay ÷ net price (6 yrs) 4.9× 1.7× 2.5× Above Utah · Above US
Median federal debt at graduation $4K $8K $10K Below Utah · Below US
Debt vs. 10-yr pay 9% 26% 26% Below Utah · Below US

Headline comparisons

Cost, completion, and pay — the three measures families ask about most — charted against the same medians.

Net price
$0–$30k families · annual

Salt Lake Community Co…

$8K

Utah median

$17K

US median

$15K

Lower is better for families.

Finish on time
Within 150% of expected time

Salt Lake Community Co…

29.2%

Utah median

71.4%

US median

58.3%

Typical pay
Six years after starting

Salt Lake Community Co…

$42K

Utah median

$34K

US median

$36K

Source: College Scorecard · institution medians (not enrollment-weighted). Net price uses the lowest reported income band when schools publish multiple tiers. Pay ÷ net price compares typical earnings six years after starting to one year of net price (above 1× means pay exceeds that cost).

Costs & aid

High school concurrent enrollment

Concurrent Enrollment — Lower-cost general-education and transfer credits for Salt Lake Valley students planning a USHE four-year finish.

Systemwide CE attainment is documented in Part 1 (USHE R5), separate from Scorecard completion on this profile.

Net price by family income

What full-time undergraduates actually paid per year after grants and scholarships, by family income band (federal College Scorecard).

Family income Net price
$0–$30,000 $8,476
$30,001–$48,000 $9,048
$48,001–$75,000 $10,559
$75,001–$110,000 $11,589
$110,001+ $13,928

Published costs

Published sticker prices where reported. Net price bands above show what families typically paid after aid.

Component Amount
Published tuition & fees (in-state) $4,426
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state) $14,244
Total cost of attendance $14,417
Books & supplies $700

Affordability & loans

Federal loan outcomes from College Scorecard. Does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. Repayment rates describe historical cohorts, not a guarantee for future students.

Measure Value
Median debt ÷ median pay (10 yrs after starting) 9%
Share earning at least $25K (6 yrs after starting) 58.3%
Share earning at least $25K (10 yrs after starting) 67.9%
Borrowers repaying any principal (3 yrs) 54.4%

Part 8: debt vs. earnings

Who attends

Enrollment & context

Measure Value
Undergraduate enrollment 18,136
Enrolled full-time 28.6%
Enrolled part-time 71.4%
Students receiving Pell grants 16.8%
First-generation college students 39.6%
Median family income of students $27K
Students who borrowed federal loans 8.0%
Student–faculty ratio 16.0:1

Student body shares

Shares of undergraduate students by gender and race/ethnicity (federal College Scorecard). These describe who enrolls — not completion or pay by group.

Gender

Group Share of undergraduates
Women 55.0%
Men 45.0%

Race & ethnicity

Group Share of undergraduates
Two or more races 4.2%

Outcomes for Pell & first-generation students

Pell grant recipients are a proxy for lower family income; first-generation students are those whose parents did not complete a bachelor's degree. Compare each row to the school-wide figures above — not every student matches these groups.

Measure Value
Finish on time (Pell students) 25.6%
Finish on time (all students) 29.2%
Median federal debt (Pell students) $5K
Median federal debt (first-generation students) $4K
Median federal debt (all borrowers) $4K
Borrowers repaying any principal (3 yrs, Pell) 48.8%
Borrowers repaying any principal (3 yrs, non-Pell) 70.8%
Borrowers repaying any principal (3 yrs, first-generation) 53.2%
Borrowers repaying any principal (3 yrs, not first-generation) 55.3%

After graduation: jobs and pay

For Utah public colleges, the state tracks graduates who work in Utah using payroll records employers file with the Department of Workforce Services. The U.S. Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) study links college transcripts to jobs nationwide. Utah sections show in-state pay and employment; Census sections show national pay, how many graduates stay in Utah, and common industries. Groups with fewer than 10 graduates are hidden for privacy.

Working in Utah (state data)

Pay and employment for graduates found in Utah wage records. Wage figures include only graduates with reported earnings. USHE dashboard.

Measure Value
Typical annual pay (1 year after graduating, Utah only) $53,511
Lower end (25th percentile) $39,476
Higher end (75th percentile) $68,964
Program groups counted 526

Share of graduates employed in Utah about one year after finishing (Utah payroll records; excludes federal employers and graduates who left the state).

Credential type Share employed in Utah
Certificate · about 1 year after graduating 81.0%
Associate Degree · about 1 year after graduating 76.4%

How pay changes after graduating (Utah)

Change in annual wages from one year before graduation to one or five years after, for graduates working in Utah. Shown by broad program area. Graduating class: 2023-24 Graduated.

Program area Pay change
Transportation and Materials Moving $13,818 (1 yr) · $44,463 (5 yr)
Construction Trades $18,739 (1 yr) · $43,088 (5 yr)
Engineering/Technologies/Technicians $9,270 (1 yr) · $38,117 (5 yr)
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians $19,034 (1 yr) · $36,189 (5 yr)
Communications Technologies/Technicians $9,195 (1 yr) · $34,624 (5 yr)
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs $8,874 (1 yr) · $29,174 (5 yr)
Science Technologies/Technicians $27,948 (5 yr)
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities $7,262 (1 yr) · $27,138 (5 yr)

Where graduates work in Utah

Industry sectors for Utah-employed graduates (payroll records). Counts combine all program areas at this college.

Industry Graduates employed
Health Care and Social Assistance 36 (17.3%)
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 35 (16.8%)
Educational Services 32 (15.4%)
Retail Trade 20 (9.6%)
Manufacturing 20 (9.6%)
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 16 (7.7%)
Construction 14 (6.7%)
Public Administration 14 (6.7%)

Jobs and pay nationwide (U.S. Census)

Transcript-linked earnings and employment across the country. Census PSEO.

Credential type Typical pay & graduates with jobs
Associate's $40,147 after 1 yr · $56,536 after 5 yrs · 22,097 with jobs
Certificate (1–2 years) $35,491 after 1 yr · $44,756 after 5 yrs · 4,563 with jobs
Certificate (<1 year) $40,118 after 1 yr · $45,751 after 5 yrs · 2,922 with jobs
Credential type Staying in Utah (1 year after finishing)
Associate's 92.4% stayed in Utah · 22,162 with jobs nationwide (1 yr after finishing)
Certificate (1–2 years) 91.4% stayed in Utah · 4,699 with jobs nationwide (1 yr after finishing)
Certificate (<1 year) 87.2% stayed in Utah · 3,033 with jobs nationwide (1 yr after finishing)

Most common industries where graduates work, about one year after finishing (all credential types combined).

Industry Graduates with jobs (share)
Health care and social assistance 6,748 (22.6%)
Retail trade 3,280 (11.0%)
Professional and technical services 2,579 (8.6%)
Finance and insurance 2,524 (8.4%)
Educational services 2,476 (8.3%)
Manufacturing 2,060 (6.9%)
Administrative and waste services 1,631 (5.5%)
Accommodation and food services 1,441 (4.8%)

Program areas with the most graduates and reported first-year pay.

Program area Typical pay after 1 year
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities $35,507 · 10,272 with jobs
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $54,165 · 3,531 with jobs
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities $33,885 · 3,118 with jobs
Real Estate $44,010 · 1,862 with jobs
Computer and Information Sciences, General $48,513 · 1,244 with jobs
Computer and Information Sciences, General $54,966 · 814 with jobs
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $29,291 · 731 with jobs
Psychology, General $32,743 · 623 with jobs

Credential-type rows use federal award categories. Compare them within this school, not across different colleges.

Programs with reported earnings

Fields where Scorecard reports median pay with at least 30 students in the earnings cohort — sorted by typical pay, not by major popularity. Each row is one major and credential level at this school.

Field of study Credential Typical pay (4 yrs) Earnings cohort Debt Graduates Debt vs. pay
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Associate's Degree $81K 206 $15K 186 19%
Computer and Information Sciences, General Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma $75K 94 $11K 425 15%
Computer and Information Sciences, General Associate's Degree $74K 105 $10K 425 14%
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Associate's Degree $74K 31 $14K 69 18%
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Associate's Degree $72K 41 $12K 127 17%
Business/Commerce, General Associate's Degree $63K 196 $10K 267 15%
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General Associate's Degree $58K 58 $12K N/A 20%
Criminal Justice and Corrections Associate's Degree $57K 58 $6K 70 11%

Top programs by completions

Credentials awarded in the 2023–24 school year (federal completions survey), with typical pay and federal loan debt when Scorecard reports them. Debt can be blank when federal data suppress a program cohort; we use additional Scorecard debt fields when available.

Field of study Credential Typical pay (4 yrs) Debt Graduates Debt vs. pay
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma $53K $7K 1,921 13%
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Associate's Degree $50K $8K 1,921 16%
Computer and Information Sciences, General Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma $75K $11K 425 15%
Computer and Information Sciences, General Associate's Degree $74K $10K 425 14%
Business/Commerce, General Associate's Degree $63K $10K 267 15%
Business/Commerce, General Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma N/A N/A 267 N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Associate's Degree $81K $15K 186 19%
Psychology, General Associate's Degree $38K $8K 166 22%
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Associate's Degree $72K $12K 127 17%
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma N/A N/A 127 N/A

Utah program ROI brief

Completions by award level

9,356 Credentials awarded in the 2023–24 school year (federal completions survey).

Award level Completions
Associate 5,380
Certificate (1–2 yr) 2,504
Other award 1,410
Award level 20 62

Utah labor context for top fields

Statewide IPEDS completions vs. BLS employment by field — not job placement at this campus. Higher ratios mean more Utah graduates per related job opening.

Field (top by graduates) Grads here Utah median wage (related jobs) Utah supply ratio
Liberal arts and sciences 1,921 $65K 75 graduates per 1,000 Utah jobs
Computer and information sciences 425 $97K 130 graduates per 1,000 Utah jobs
Business 267 $68K 57 graduates per 1,000 Utah jobs
Health professions 186 $62K 162 graduates per 1,000 Utah jobs
Psychology 166 $73K 19 graduates per 1,000 Utah jobs

Credential–labor alignment brief

Institution finances

Endowment, state tax support (public colleges), and Parent PLUS loans. Endowment values come from IPEDS via College Scorecard. Many small schools do not report them.

Endowment

Endowment market value at the start and end of the most recent fiscal year reported to IPEDS. Endowment per student divides year-end value by undergraduate enrollment.

Measure Value
Endowment (year-end) $12.4M
Endowment (year-start) $10.9M
Change over fiscal year +$1.6M (+14.6%)
Endowment per undergraduate $686

State support (FY 2024)

State tax appropriations from Transparent Utah: what Utah lawmakers budgeted for this public college, not the full operating budget.

Measure Value
State tax appropriation $142.4M
Budget full-time students (FTE) 13,137
Appropriation per FTE $11K
Appropriation per credential awarded $15K

USHE spend vs. outcomes brief

Parent PLUS loans

Median Parent PLUS loan debt among graduates who borrowed. These are federal loans parents take out, separate from the student's own federal loan debt above.

Measure Value
Median Parent PLUS debt at graduation $9K

Institution facts

Field Value
Highest degree offered Associate
Predominant award Predominantly associate
Accreditor Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Campus setting Suburb, large
Address 4600 S Redwood Rd, 84123

What this means for you

These questions turn Salt Lake Community College's public data into a next step — not a ranking or a guarantee.

Students
  • Compare this school to others on your list — averages above hide big differences between majors.
  • Open the programs table for typical pay and debt in your field, not just school-wide numbers.
  • Compare up to three schools side by side before you apply.
Families
  • Ask the financial aid office for net price at your family's income band — not sticker tuition.
  • Ask whether students like yours typically finish on time and what they earn in your student's intended major.
  • Pair typical pay with federal loan debt in the programs table — completion alone does not guarantee strong pay.

Related Utah research

Data sources

  • U.S. College Scorecard (school-wide outcomes)
  • IPEDS directory (2023–24)
  • IPEDS tuition and costs (2023–24)
  • IPEDS completions (2023–24 award year)
  • Transparent Utah appropriations (USHE)
  • USHE Graduate Workforce Outcomes dashboard
  • USHE graduate workforce outcomes, wage growth (Utah)
  • USHE graduate workforce outcomes, industries (Utah)
  • Census LEHD Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO)
  • IPEDS finance survey endowment (via College Scorecard)
  • College Scorecard Parent PLUS loan medians

Methodology · UNITID 230746

How this was produced

Pathways & Outcomes uses AI tools to help draft reports and data briefs from verified public data and analysis. A human editor reviews every publication for accuracy, data consistency, clarity, methodology alignment, and discrepancies before release. AI does not determine what we investigate, what we publish, or what conclusions we reach. Editorial policy · About our team