Gaston College

201 Hwy 321 S
Dallas, NC 28034
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Tel: (704) 922-6200
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  • Gaston College, located in Gaston and Lincoln Counties, is an open door, comprehensive, public community college that promotes lifelong learning and economic development through high quality educational programs and services.

School Highlights

Gaston College serves 5,362 students (27% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 19:1 is higher than the state community college average of 18:1.
Minority enrollment is 41% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the state average of 45%.

Top Placements

Gaston College places among the top 20% of community colleges in North Carolina for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 277 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Gaston College(NC) Community College Avg.
Institution LevelAt least 2 but less than 4 yearsAt least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution ControlPublicPublic
Total Faculty277 staff141 staff
This chart display total faculty of Gaston College and community college average number of faculty in NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Gaston College has declined by 7% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 19:1 has decreased from 20:1 over five years.
The Gaston College diversity score of 0.61 is less than the state average of 0.63. The school's diversity has grown by 62% over five years.
Total Enrollment5,362 students2,012 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Gaston College and community college average number of enrollment of NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio19:118:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Gaston College and community college average student staff ratio of NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
# Full-Time Students1,430 students757 students
This chart display the total number of Full-Time students enrollment of Gaston College and average number of community college Full-Time students enrollment of NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
# Part-Time Students3,932 students1,362 students
This chart display the total number of Part-Time students enrollment of Gaston College and average number of community college Part-Time students enrollment of NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
This chart display the Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of Gaston College. This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of NC.
% American Indian/Alaskan		-
1%
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Gaston College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
% Asian
1%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Gaston College and the percentage of Asian community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
% Hispanic
7%
10%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Gaston College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
% Black
14%
22%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Gaston College and the percentage of Black community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
% White
59%
55%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Gaston College and the percentage of White community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
% Two or more races
3%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Gaston College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
% Non Resident races
3%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Gaston College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
% Unknown races
13%
5%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Gaston College. This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in NC.
Diversity Score0.610.63
This chart display the diversity score of Gaston College and the community college average diversity score of NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
College Completion Rate
30%
25%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-Time students of Gaston College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-Time students of NC by year, with the latest 2017-18 school year data.
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)$27,600$27,500
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Gaston College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of NC by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Finances and Admission

The public in-state tuition of $2,560 is more than the state average of $2,528. The in-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $8,704 is more than the state average of $8,242. The out-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees$2,560$2,528
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Gaston College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees$8,704$8,242
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Gaston College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid72%77%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Gaston College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in NC by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates$2,625$9,818
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Gaston College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in NC by year, with the latest 2010-11 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts$2,625$4,730
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Gaston College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in NC by year, with the latest 2010-11 school year data.
Source: 2019 (or latest year available) IPEDS

School Notes

  • Gaston College was granted a charter by the State of North Carolina in 1963 and began its first classes in temporary headquarters in September 1964. The college moved to its permanent campus on Highway 321 between Dallas and Gastonia two months later. Serving both Gaston and Lincoln counties, Gaston College enrolls over 5,000 students each term in curriculum programs and averages over 16,000 students annually in its Continuing Education programs. Part of the North Carolina Community College System, Gaston College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees. The twelve major buildings that comprise the Gaston College Dallas campus contain approximately 450,868 square feet and have an estimated current value of $41,385,862. There is an efficient road system and parking for more than 2,000 cars. College facilities (including a 480-seat auditorium) are available for public use and may be scheduled through the Office for Finance and Facilities. Gaston College is a commuter institution and does not have dormitories or housing for rent. The purpose of the Arts and Sciences Division of Gaston College is to provide quality instructional opportunities in college parallel programs for students who intend to transfer to senior institutions and to provide support of technical and occupational program curriculums. The division serves as a community resource and promotes academic articulation with public/private schools, business/industry, and senior institutions. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Division offers a wide range of courses. Among these are art, criminal justice, technology, early childhood education, English, foreign languages, humanities, mathematics, music, the natural sciences, paralegal technology, and the social sciences.

Nearby Schools

The nearest community college to Gaston College is Cleveland Community College (17.2 miles away).
  • College Location Mi. Students
  • Cleveland Community College
    Cleveland Community College Photo - Cleveland Community College
    Public
    2,551 students | 17.20 Mi137 S Post Rd
    Shelby,  NC  28152
    (704) 669-4136     17.202,551
  • Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
    Private not-for-profit
    1,681 students | 20.00 MiAcademic Center, 801 West Trade Street
    Charlotte,  NC  28202
    (866) 598-2427     20.001,681
  • Carolinas College of Health Sciences
    Public
    467 students | 20.80 Mi1200 Blythe Blvd
    Charlotte,  NC  28203
    (704) 355-5043     20.80467
  • Central Piedmont Community College
    Public
    18,824 students | 20.90 Mi1201 Elizabeth Avenue
    Charlotte,  NC  28204
    (704) 330-2722     20.9018,824
  • York Technical College
    Public
    4,253 students | 27.20 Mi452 S Anderson Rd
    Rock Hill,  SC  29730
    (803) 327-8000     27.204,253
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Quick Stats (2021)
  • Students: 5,362 students
  • In-state tuition: $2,560
  • Out-state tuition: $8,704
  • Student:teacher ratio: 19:1
  • Minority enrollment: 41%
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Gaston College tour

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Did You Know?
For North Carolina public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $2,528 per year for in-state students and $8,242 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $22,780 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in North Carolina is 71%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

North Carolina community colleges have a diversity score of 0.63, which is lower than the national average of 0.73. The most diverse community college in North Carolina is Richmond Community College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.
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