Is Gaston College Worth It?

Gaston College gives you a low-cost path with mixed returns that depend almost entirely on what you study. At roughly $5,752 a year, your total out-of-pocket cost is small compared to a four-year school, and the 50.7% graduation rate means about half of students finish. That combination keeps your financial risk contained, but the median earnings figure of $35,386 shows that a degree here does not guarantee a strong paycheck.

Nursing is the clear winner. The associate degree in Registered Nursing pays nearly double what most other programs here return, and even the practical nursing certificate clears $41,000. If you can get into and finish a nursing track, Gaston College pays off well relative to its cost.

The other programs are where the caution comes in. Criminal Justice, Allied Health and Medical Assisting, and Legal Support Services all land below the school's overall median earnings, sitting in the $25,000 to $29,000 range a decade out. These credentials cost the same to earn but return far less, so the payoff is weak unless the field itself is what you want.

The specific risk here is starting a program and not finishing, since half of students don't graduate, and leaving with debt but no credential erases the low-cost advantage. Choosing a low-earning associate degree carries its own risk: you spend two years for wages that a certificate elsewhere might match.

Net price barely moves across income levels, so families earning under $30,000 pay about $5,170 and families over $110,000 pay a nearly identical $5,166. Middle-income families in the $48,000 to $110,000 range actually pay the most. This is a good fit if you're targeting nursing or need an affordable local option. If you want a higher-earning field, look at where the non-nursing numbers land first.