Hartnell College
A good fit for in-state California residents. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 7,153 students.
About This School
Hartnell College is a public institution located in Salinas, California with approximately 7,153 undergraduate students enrolled. In-state tuition is $1,404 per year. Typical graduates earn $38,000 within 10 years of enrollment.
Hartnell College is a public community college in Salinas, California. Established in 1920 as Salinas Junior College, Hartnell is one of 115 schools that constitute the California Community Colleges, one of the three higher education systems in California. It enrolls nearly 10,000 students, 56% of whom are Latino, and the college is a Hispanic-serving institution. Its name commemorates William Hartnell (1798–1854), who founded the first junior college in California. Hartnell's main campus is located less than a mile west of downtown Salinas. It also has four satellite campuses, one in the Alisal district of Salinas one in King City another in Soledad and another in Castroville.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: median earnings of $38,000 a decade after enrollment are modest, so this makes the most sense as a stepping stone — completing general education requirements or a vocational certificate before transferring to a four-year school — rather than a terminal destination. As a Hispanic-serving institution where 56% of students are Latino, it offers a genuinely inclusive environment that many students in the Salinas area will find welcoming and culturally affirming. Worth considering if you're looking to minimize debt while staying local, but have a clear transfer or career plan going in.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Will This School Pay Off?
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (7,153 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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