Hartnell College
About
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.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 79 Title IV programs, 6 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 73 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing6 · 7.6%
- No Data73 · 92.4%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Near the line (±5%)
Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 2
Action history · 6
- Mar 2022Renewal of AccreditationAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
- Mar 2022Renewal of AccreditationAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (PNUR) - Practical nursing programs
- Jun 2019Initial AccreditationAccrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
- Mar 2017Initial AccreditationAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
- Mar 2017Initial AccreditationAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (PNUR) - Practical nursing programs
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 3,909 students received $19.3M in Pell grants, alongside $193K in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 16 borrowers who entered repayment, 1 (6.2%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Hartnell College
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 10
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Hartnell College vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Hartnell College selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectHartnell College | 40% | — | 11,273 | $2,895 | Community College |
| 50% | — | 30,746 | $4,751 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 21,859 | $693 | Community College | |
| — | — | 22,460 | $5,743 | Community College | |
| — | — | 12,861 | $11,812 | Community College | |
| — | — | 5,225 | $11,103 | Community College | |
| — | — | 33,677 | $9,791 | Community College | |
| — | — | 8,873 | $1,697 | Community College | |
| — | — | 24,985 | $5,001 | Community College | |
| — | — | 9,463 | $11,245 | Community College | |
| — | — | 10,690 | $11,972 | Community College | |
| — | — | 12,519 | $10,658 | Community College | |
| — | — | 12,472 | $4,260 | Community College | |
| — | — | 29,971 | $3,107 | Community College | |
| — | — | 7,361 | $659 | Community College | |
| — | — | 4,784 | $3,728 | Community College | |
| — | — | 8,796 | $1,584 | Community College | |
| — | — | 17,441 | $11,903 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 21,730 | $4,026 | Community College | |
| — | — | 14,055 | $8,234 | Community College | |
| — | — | 20,986 | $10,893 | Community College | |
| Peer group median | 45% | — | 12,861 | $5,001 |
Institutions like Hartnell College
Explore the federal data for institutions in Hartnell College's comparison group.
- BaccalaureateCalifornia
Bakersfield College
Grad rate50%Admit rate—Enrollment30,746Net price$4,751View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Cerritos College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment21,859Net price$693View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Chaffey College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment22,460Net price$5,743View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
College of the Desert
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment12,861Net price$11,812View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Compton College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment5,225Net price$11,103View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
East Los Angeles College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment33,677Net price$9,791View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Imperial Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment8,873Net price$1,697View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Long Beach City College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment24,985Net price$5,001View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Los Angeles Harbor College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment9,463Net price$11,245View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Los Angeles Mission College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment10,690Net price$11,972View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment12,519Net price$10,658View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Merced College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment12,472Net price$4,260View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Mt San Antonio College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment29,971Net price$3,107View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Oxnard College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment7,361Net price$659View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Porterville College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment4,784Net price$3,728View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Reedley College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment8,796Net price$1,584View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Rio Hondo College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment17,441Net price$11,903View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Riverside City College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment21,730Net price$4,026View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
San Bernardino Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment14,055Net price$8,234View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Southwestern College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment20,986Net price$10,893View data
Hartnell College Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
- Milena AngelovaDirector of Institutional Research
- Natalia Cordoba-VelasquezDirector of Institutional Research
- Layheng TingInstitutional Research Analyst
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic plan2025-2028 Strategic Plan2024The Hartnell College 2025-2028 Strategic Plan is designed with a student-centric focus to enhance access, success, and operational effectiveness. Key initiatives include implementing Guided Pathways, strategic recruitment planning, and fostering community partnerships. The plan emphasizes measurable outcomes such as student satisfaction, enrollment growth, and community vibrancy to ensure alignment with institutional goals.hartnell.edu
Notable alumni of Hartnell College (6)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Ed BrownAthletics
- Ernie CamachoAthletics
- Ralph GoingsArt
- Michael GregoryEntertainment
- Enrique MontanoAthletics
- Dick VorisAthletics
Frequently asked questions about Hartnell College
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Hartnell College.
What is the graduation rate at Hartnell College?
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What is the average net price at Hartnell College?
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