Great Basin College
- The mission of Great Basin College is to provide superior, student-centered, post-secondary education in central and northeastern Nevada. We provide five types of educational opportunities: university transfer courses, occupational and technical studies, developmental courses, community education and selected baccalaureate programs, along with student support services and special business-education partnerships.
School Highlights
- Great Basin College serves 3,024 students (30% of students are full-time).
- The college's student:teacher ratio of 29:1 is lower than the state community college average of 37:1.
- Minority enrollment is 29% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 53%.
- Great Basin College is the only community colleges within Elko County, NV.
- The nearest community college to Great Basin College is College of Southern Idaho (137.0 miles away).
Top Placements
Great Basin College places among the top 20% of community colleges in Nevada for:
- Category Attribute
- Affordability Least expensive tuition
- Student Earnings Highest graduate earnings (10 years post graduation)
School Overview
- The teacher population of 103 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
| Great Basin College | (NV) Community College Avg. | |
| Institution Level | Four or more years | At least 2 yrs but < 4 yrs |
| Institution Control | Public | Private, for profit |
| Total Faculty | 103 staff | 40 staff |
| Total Enrollment | 3,024 students | 3,024 students |
 | ||
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 29:1 | 37:1 |
| # Full-Time Students | 919 students | 919 students |
| # Part-Time Students | 2,105 students | 2,105 students |
 |  | |
| # Undergraduate Students | 905 students | 905 students |
| # Graduate Students | 14 students | 14 students |
 |  | |
| Total Dormitory Capacity | 143 | 143 |
| % American Indian/Alaskan | 3% | 1% |
| % Asian | 2% | 8% |
| % Hispanic | 16% | 24% |
| % Black | 1% | 8% |
| % White | 71% | 47% |
| % Hawaiian | 1% | 1% |
| % Two or more races | 2% | 3% |
| % Unknown races | 4% | 7% |
 |  | |
| Diversity Score | 0.47 | 0.70 |
 | ||
| Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years) | $37,800 | $30,300 |
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS
School Notes
- Founded in 1967, Elkoans bootstrapped a community college, the state's first. Its founders, who called themselves the "Yo Yo Club" because of the ups and downs of the project, had rallied townspeople to the cause. A stir for a technical college had begun in the early 1960s. Fred Harris and Mark Chilton offered land in 1962 on the Mountain City Highway to the university regents for a campus. But the regents, amused, focused on surging Southern Nevada, which was to become the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in 1968. Our occupational and technical studies are developed to meet the demands of the local economy. Our programs lead to immediate and meaningful employment for our students. For the employer, we provide short- and long-range training programs that create a productive workforce that knows how to learn and to work in harmony with others. Elizabeth Griswold Hall, the College's newest residential hall, has opened its doors to students. Griswold Hall is another convenient option for new and continuing students. This hall is fully outfitted with high-speed Internet connections, a game room, group and individual study nooks, laundry rooms, and kitchen facilities. The Residence Suites on campus also offer apartment style living for individual and family students. Great Basin College is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. GBC is a member college of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE).
Nearby Schools
- The nearest community college to Great Basin College is College of Southern Idaho (137.0 miles away).
- College Location Mi. Students
- 7,021 students | 137.00 Mi315 Falls Ave.
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208)733-9554 137.007,021 - Carrington College-BoisePrivate, for profit494 students | 193.20 Mi1122 North Liberty Street
Boise, ID 83704
(208)377-8080 193.20494 - College of Western IdahoPublic10,217 students | 195.10 Mi5500 East Opportunity Drive
Nampa, ID 83687
(208)562-3000 195.1010,217 - Broadview University-LaytonPrivate, for profit126 students | 198.10 Mi869 West Hill Field Road
Layton, UT 84041
(801)498-6300 198.10126 - Eagle Gate College-LaytonPrivate, for profit217 students | 198.60 Mi915 N 400 W
Layton, UT 84041
(801)546-7500 198.60217
Recent Articles
We continue to report on the ongoing saga in the California community college system. Schools are now opening for fall semester with fewer courses due to serious budget cuts, and students are feeling the academic pain.
The role of community colleges in the world of higher education has expanded over the years and, as the country works to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, they may be more important now than ever. Read on to learn more about the changing role of community colleges.
Colleges across the country are struggling to recover from the massive upheaval to the 2019-20 semester wrought by COVID-19. Housing refunds and slashed budgets are bound to have long-term impacts for the institutions that survive. Some experts suggest community colleges may be the best equipped to ride out the storm and may have the greatest impact in helping America recover.
