Public · Community college
Imperial Valley College
Imperial, California · Fringe rural
- 5%
- Transfer rate
- $1,115
- Avg net price
- 45%
- Grad / completion
- $34,487
- Median earnings
Imperial Valley College is a public associate-granting institution in Imperial, California (fringe rural setting), enrolling 7,652 undergraduates. It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Admission is open to all applicants.
About Imperial, California
Imperial is a city in Imperial County, California, 4 miles (6.4 km) north of El Centro. Imperial was created by the Imperial Land Company and was named by George Chaffey. Imperial's first post office opened in 1901. Imperial incorporated in 1904. The first mayor of Imperial was Allison Peck. The annual California Mid-Winter Fair takes place in Imperial, often in February, and receives over 100,000 visitors. (Wikipedia)
- Setting
- Fringe rural
- Highest degree offered
- Associate
- Nearest big city
- 97 miles to San Diego, CA
- To the ocean
- 65 miles
- Nearest airport
- 4 miles to Imperial County (IPL)
How Imperial Valley College compares
Higher than 31% · #277 of 382 in California
Higher than 56%
Higher than 47% · #218 of 326 in California
Cheaper than 99% · #7 cheapest of 377 in California
Lower than 4%
Larger than 95%
Percentiles compare Imperial Valley College with the nation's 3,519 two-year and certificate schools, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count two-year and certificate schools in California.
Student body
Undergraduates by gender
- Women4,13854%
- Men3,51446%
Undergraduates by race / ethnicity
- White6.1%
- Black1.1%
- Hispanic89%
- Other or multiracial3.6%
Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.
By the numbers
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 7,652
- Student–faculty ratio
- 31 : 1
- Pell Grant recipients
- 51%
- First-generation students
- 61%
- Students over 25
- 27%
- Median family income
- $17,104
- Avg faculty salary (academic year)
- $103,896
- Endowment
- $2,792,659
Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.
Where students come from
Home state of the 1,470 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.
- From California94%
- Other U.S. states5.9%
Most first-years stay in state — Imperial Valley College draws overwhelmingly from California.
Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.
Cost
- In-state tuition
- $1,148
- Out-of-state tuition
- $8,852
- Room & board
- $9,153
- Books & supplies
- $1,062
- Total cost of attendance
- $11,998
- Average net price
- $1,115
Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.
Outcomes
- Graduated
- 45%
- First-year retention
- 76%
- Transferred to another college
- 5%
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $28,114
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $34,487
- Median debt at graduation
- —
- Students with federal loans
- 0%
Campus life & athletics
- On-campus housing
- Yes
- Dorm capacity
- 26
- Housing charge (year)
- $10,125
- Application fee
- Free
- Athletics
- CCCAA
- Varsity athletes
- 140 (67 men · 73 women)
Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.
Varsity sports (7)
Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.
Campus safety
- Safety grade
- A
- Reported offenses per 1,000 students
- 0.1 / year
- Violent offenses (2022–2024)
- 2
- Property offenses (2022–2024)
- 0
On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (8,873 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.
Reported offenses in an average year
The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.
By offense type, per year
Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.
What you'll actually pay, by family income
Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.
College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.
Does the school pay you to attend?
Imperial Valley College funds essentially no grants of its own — almost all aid here comes from federal (Pell), state, or outside sources rather than the school's own discount. Its sticker price is what it is.
Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid, 2022–23 full-time first-year undergraduates.
Is it worth it?
A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.
- Median earnings (10 years)
- $34,487
- Typical debt at graduation
- —
- Debt vs. one year's pay
- —
- Out-earn a HS grad
- 28%
The payoff is less clear-cut here — weigh the debt against the earnings and your intended field before borrowing heavily.
Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.
The pay gap here
Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.
Men out-earn women by $13,808 (49%) a decade out.
Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.
Campus climate
- Summer high
- 104°F
- Winter low
- 42°F
- Annual rain
- 2.8″
Average temperature
HighLowAverage precipitation (inches)
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Imperial, CA US station (4 mi from campus).
What Imperial Valley College graduates study — and earn
Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.
Colleges similar to Imperial Valley College
Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Imperial Valley College side by side →
Victor Valley College
Victorville, California · Large suburb · 35 mi to Riverside
- Students
- 4,210
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 10%
- Earnings
- $36k
College of the Sequoias
Visalia, California · Midsize city · 39 mi to Fresno
- Students
- 11,562
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 5%
- Earnings
- $39k
Yuba College
Marysville, California · Midsize suburb · 38 mi to Sacramento
- Students
- 4,779
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 9%
- Earnings
- $40k
Hartnell College
Salinas, California · Midsize city · 47 mi to San Jose
- Students
- 9,453
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 6%
- Earnings
- $44k
Shasta College
Redding, California · Midsize suburb · 148 mi to Sacramento
- Students
- 6,128
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 15%
- Earnings
- $39k
Santiago Canyon College
Orange, California · Midsize city · 26 mi to Riverside
- Students
- 10,579
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 12%
- Earnings
- $45k
Colleges near Imperial Valley College
CET-El Centro
El Centro, CA · Private nonprofit · Certificate · 130 students
Arizona Western College
Yuma, AZ · Public · Certificate · 6,374 students
CET-Coachella
Coachella, CA · Private nonprofit · Certificate · 96 students
MJ Barber & Beauty Academy
La Quinta, CA · Private for-profit · Certificate · 66 students
Palo Verde College
Blythe, CA · Public · Certificate · 3,381 students
Elite Cosmetology School
PALM DESERT, CA · Private for-profit · Certificate · 115 students
College of the Desert
Palm Desert, CA · Public · Certificate · 10,207 students
International School of Beauty Inc
Palm Desert, CA · Private for-profit · Certificate · 132 students
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.