Southern State Community College
Hillsboro, OH 45133-9406
About Southern State Community College
Southern State Community College is a public community college in Hillsboro, Ohio, enrolling about 761 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $9,674 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $5,912. Student demographics in federal data include White (89.9%) and Black or African American (3.7%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Southern State Community College charges 7% above the national public median tuition ($5,912).
- Versus the Ohio median, sticker tuition is about 0.4×.
- Average net price runs below the Ohio median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 37.00%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $35,463.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Southern State Community College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 816% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern State Community College | $5,912 | $9,674 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Ohio (state median) | $15,202 | $12,090 | 154 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Southern State Community College really?
Key findings
- Southern State Community College charges 7% above the national public median tuition ($5,912).
- Versus the Ohio median, sticker tuition is about 0.4×.
- Average net price runs below the Ohio median net price.
Southern State Community College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $5,912
Finding Southern State Community College charges 7% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $5,912. That is 7% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Ohio median ($15,202), sticker tuition is about 0.4×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.5×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Southern State Community College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Southern State Community College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Southern State Community College is $9,674.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $9,674 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $2,416 below the Ohio median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $5,297 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Southern State Community College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Southern State Community College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Southern State Community College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$5,912
Out-of-state tuition
$10,818
Avg. net price
$9,674
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $8,099 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $7,950 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $10,926 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $13,478 |
| $110,001+ | $10,805 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $23,648. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Southern State Community College is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies135
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse36
- Real Estate29
- Business Administration and Management, General21
- Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping20
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Southern State Community College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Southern State Community College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Southern State Community College.
Campus
Location
Hillsboro, OH
City / state
- ZIP
- 45133-9406
- NCES locale
- Town distant
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 35% below the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Nontraditional
Size
Enrollment
761
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 3,075
- Full-time share
- 39%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$11,457
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 21.65%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Southern State Community College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Southern State Community College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Southern State Community College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $4,132 | $7,752 | $7,910 |
| 2014 | $4,232 | $7,938 | $6,371 |
| 2015 | $4,352 | $8,058 | $6,886 |
| 2016 | $4,412 | $8,118 | $6,794 |
| 2017 | $4,412 | $8,118 | $6,943 |
| 2018 | $5,012 | $9,018 | $6,937 |
| 2019 | $5,162 | $9,318 | $7,100 |
| 2020 | $5,312 | $9,618 | $7,922 |
| 2021 | $5,387 | $9,768 | $8,342 |
| 2022 | $5,612 | $10,218 | $6,966 |
| 2023 | $5,687 | $10,368 | $10,918 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Southern State Community College reported total enrollment of about 761 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 29% male and 71% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (89.9%), Black or African American (3.7%), and Two or More Races (3.3%). About 21.65% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 52.1% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
39.3% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Southern State Community College in 2024 is 761 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 3,075 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
63.7%
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.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
23.00% 100% Completion Time
37.00% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 23.00% of students graduating from Southern State Community College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 21% male / 79% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 8% male / 92% female
- Real Estate: 34% male / 66% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Southern State Community College graduates earn a median of $35,463 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Southern State Community College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $35,463. Median federal loan debt: $11,457. Average net price used in cost models: $9,674.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Southern State Community College graduates report median earnings of $35,463 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Southern State Community College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (21 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Southern State Community College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Southern State Community College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Southern State Community College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$3.4M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Ohio median 0.14× the median ($24.2M)
- Great Lakes median 0.11× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 0.13× the median ($26.4M)
- Ohio median 0.19× the median ($15,287)
- Great Lakes median 0.17× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 0.24× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 46.7%
- Ohio median 8.2 pp below median (54.9%)
- Great Lakes median 11.4 pp below median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 11.3 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,585
- Ohio median 0.88× the median ($7,463)
- Great Lakes median 0.82× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 0.86× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $4,035
- Ohio median 0.53× the median ($7,640)
- Great Lakes median 0.52× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 0.55× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Southern State Community College at a glance
Southern State Community College
Southern State Community College is a public institution in Hillsboro, OH, classified as Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Nontraditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesRegistered Nursing/Registered NurseReal Estate
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian89.9%Black or African American3.7%Two or More Races3.3%
Schools near Southern State Community College
Other campuses in Hillsboro, OH when available, plus nearby institutions in Ohio.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Ohio, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Southern State Community College located?
Southern State Community College is located in Hillsboro, OH.
What is Southern State Community College's tuition?
Southern State Community College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $5,912 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $9,674 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Southern State Community College cost?
Reported tuition is $5,912 and average net price is $9,674 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $6,928 annually.
What explains Southern State Community College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($9,674), completion (37.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($35,463). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Southern State Community College?
Southern State Community College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 3,075 students, White (89.9%), Black or African American (3.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Southern State Community College?
About 52.1% of students at Southern State Community College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Southern State Community College earn?
Median earnings are $32,851 six years after entry and $35,463 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Southern State Community College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 37.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Southern State Community College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $11,457.
Is Southern State Community College public or private?
Southern State Community College is a public institution located in Hillsboro, OH.
Is Southern State Community College an HBCU?
No. Southern State Community College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Southern State Community College a tribal college?
No. Southern State Community College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.