Carl Albert State College
Poteau, OK 74953-5208
About Carl Albert State College
Carl Albert State College is a public community college in Poteau, Oklahoma, enrolling about 1,308 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $14,607 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $4,380. Student demographics in federal data include White (41.8%) and American Indian or Alaska Native (16.4%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Carl Albert State College charges 21% below the national public median tuition ($4,380).
- Versus the Oklahoma median, sticker tuition is about 0.6×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 43.07%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $34,117.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Carl Albert State College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 484% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Albert State College | $4,380 | $14,607 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Oklahoma (state median) | $7,921 | $10,956 | 42 |
| 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 Carl Albert State College really?
Key findings
- Carl Albert State College charges 21% below the national public median tuition ($4,380).
- Versus the Oklahoma median, sticker tuition is about 0.6×.
Carl Albert State College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $4,380
Finding Carl Albert State College charges 21% below the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $4,380. That is 21% below the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Oklahoma median ($7,921), sticker tuition is about 0.6×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.4×.
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 Carl Albert State College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Carl Albert State College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Carl Albert State College is $14,607.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $14,607 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $3,652 above the Oklahoma median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $364 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 Carl Albert State College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Carl Albert State College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Carl Albert State 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
$4,380
Out-of-state tuition
$9,098
Avg. net price
$14,607
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $13,902 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $13,399 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $16,156 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $20,618 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $17,520. 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 Carl Albert State College is known for
Top program completions
- Child Care Provider/Assistant136
- Business Administration and Management, General65
- Health Professions and Related Programs50
- General Studies45
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse42
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Carl Albert State College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Carl Albert State 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 Carl Albert State College.
Campus
Location
Poteau, OK
City / state
- ZIP
- 74953-5208
- NCES locale
- Town distant
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 2% below the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southwest
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional
Size
Enrollment
1,308
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 2,130
- Full-time share
- 62%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$9,362
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 54.27%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Carl Albert State 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 Carl Albert State 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 Carl Albert State 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 | $2,808 | $5,808 | $4,611 |
| 2014 | $3,003 | $6,210 | $4,667 |
| 2015 | $3,011 | $6,219 | $4,716 |
| 2016 | $3,160 | $6,528 | $4,963 |
| 2017 | $3,412 | $6,780 | $4,553 |
| 2018 | $3,687 | $7,616 | $4,805 |
| 2019 | $3,818 | $7,760 | $5,415 |
| 2020 | $3,818 | $7,943 | $5,451 |
| 2021 | $3,818 | $7,943 | $5,449 |
| 2022 | $4,230 | $8,707 | $7,376 |
| 2023 | $4,230 | $8,707 | $6,855 |
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
Carl Albert State College reported total enrollment of about 1,308 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 29% male and 71% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (41.8%), American Indian or Alaska Native (16.4%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (14.8%). About 54.27% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 51.8% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
61.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Carl Albert State College in 2024 is 1,308 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 2,130 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
10.2%
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
42.08% 100% Completion Time
43.07% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 42.08% of students graduating from Carl Albert State College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Child Care Provider/Assistant: 4% male / 96% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 42% male / 58% female
- Health Professions and Related Programs: 10% male / 90% 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.
Carl Albert State College graduates earn a median of $34,117 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Carl Albert State College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $34,117. Median federal loan debt: $9,362. Average net price used in cost models: $14,607.
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 Carl Albert State College graduates report median earnings of $34,117 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 Carl Albert State College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (23 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Carl Albert State College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Carl Albert State College graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Carl Albert State College—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 45.4%
- Oklahoma median 18.2 pp below median (63.5%)
- Southwest median 14.4 pp below median (59.7%)
- U.S. median 12.6 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $5,383
- Oklahoma median 0.88× the median ($6,142)
- Southwest median 0.76× the median ($7,078)
- U.S. median 0.71× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $7,054
- Oklahoma median near the median ($7,250)
- Southwest median 1.2× the median ($5,699)
- U.S. median near 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.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Carl Albert State College at a glance
Carl Albert State College
Carl Albert State College is a public institution in Poteau, OK, classified as Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Child Care Provider/AssistantBusiness Administration and Management, GeneralHealth Professions and Related Programs
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian41.8%American Indian or Alaska Native16.4%Race/ethnicity unknown14.8%
Schools near Carl Albert State College
Other campuses in Poteau, OK when available, plus nearby institutions in Oklahoma.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade F) within Oklahoma, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Carl Albert State College located?
Carl Albert State College is located in Poteau, OK.
What is Carl Albert State College's tuition?
Carl Albert State College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $4,380 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $14,607 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Carl Albert State College cost?
Reported tuition is $4,380 and average net price is $14,607 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $5,909 annually.
What explains Carl Albert State College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($14,607), completion (43.1% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($34,117). 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 Carl Albert State College?
Carl Albert State College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 2,130 students, White (41.8%), American Indian or Alaska Native (16.4%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Carl Albert State College?
About 51.8% of students at Carl Albert State College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Carl Albert State College earn?
Median earnings are $30,375 six years after entry and $34,117 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Carl Albert State College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 43.1% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Carl Albert State College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $9,362.
Is Carl Albert State College public or private?
Carl Albert State College is a public institution located in Poteau, OK.
Is Carl Albert State College an HBCU?
No. Carl Albert State College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Carl Albert State College a tribal college?
No. Carl Albert State 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.