2026 data College Scorecard official source

Affordable Alternatives to George C Wallace Community College-Dothan

Open-data reference.

We found 15 schools structurally similar to George C Wallace Community College-Dothan that cost less. 6 offer comparable or better earnings outcomes.

Your School

George C Wallace Community College-Dothan

Dothan, Alabama · Public

$1,170
Net Price
$31,399
Median Earnings (10yr)
N/A
Acceptance Rate
N/A
Graduation Rate

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Alternatives to George C Wallace Community College-Dothan

George C Wallace Community College-Dothan posts an average net price of $1,170 after grants and scholarships, the IPEDS-derived figure used to anchor this alternatives search. We screened institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for colleges that report a lower net price and share structural similarity with George C Wallace Community College-Dothan across six dimensions — ownership sector, Carnegie classification, undergraduate enrollment, admission rate, graduate earnings, and completion rate. 15 institutions cleared a 40-percent similarity threshold.

The maximum possible savings across this list is $2,242, achieved by Western Technology Center at $-1,072. Of greater interest to ROI-focused applicants: 6 of the 15 alternatives also report median 10-year earnings at or above George C Wallace Community College-Dothan’s $31,399, meaning lower cost is not paired with lower earnings. The mean median-earnings figure across alternatives is $31,277.

The similarity scoring treats enrollment size, Carnegie classification, and ownership sector as high-weight features because those structural attributes correlate most strongly with student experience and post-graduation outcomes in the College Scorecard literature. Admission rate and graduation rate enter as secondary features, while net price drives the cost-ranking that determines which institutions appear. Net price is an IPEDS-reported figure calculated as the average cost of attendance minus institutional and federal grants for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV aid — so it already accounts for the aid a typical admitted student would receive. That makes it a more honest cost comparison than sticker-price tuition alone.

Similar Schools That Cost Less

15
Alternatives Found
$2,242
Max Savings
6
Better Value Options
78%
Best Match

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (USD). Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Top 5 1. Southern Regional Technical $31k 2. Wiregrass Georgia Technical $31k 3. Atlanta Technical College $30k 4. Instituto Tecnologico de Pue $26k 5. Tennessee College of Applied $31k Compared to George C Wallace Community College-Dothan: $31k.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Institution-level earnings + cost-of-attendance file · 2024 (latest release) Median 10-year earnings reflect federal-aid recipients only; net price reflects sticker price minus average grants/scholarships.

School Net Price Savings Earnings (10yr) Graduation Similarity
Southern Regional Technical College
Thomasville, GA · Public
$813 -$357 $31,293 N/A 78%
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Valdosta, GA · Public
$614 -$556 $30,864 N/A 76%
Atlanta Technical College
Atlanta, GA · Public
$-914 -$2,084 $30,350 N/A 64%
Instituto Tecnologico de Puerto Rico-Recinto de San Juan
San Juan, PR · Public
$1,121 -$49 $26,293 N/A 58%
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump
Crump, TN · Public
$-839 -$2,009 $30,796 N/A 57%
Coastal Pines Technical College
Waycross, GA · Public
$-126 -$1,296 $30,214 N/A 57%
South Georgia Technical College
Americus, GA · Public
$1,164 -$6 $30,364 N/A 56%
Western Technology Center
Burns Flat, OK · Public
$-1,072 -$2,242 $29,728 N/A 53%
Coahoma Community College
Clarksdale, MS · Public
$-274 -$1,444 $24,289 N/A 53%
Piedmont Community College
Roxboro, NC · Public Better Value
$1,095 -$75 $33,274 N/A 52%
Cleveland Community College
Shelby, NC · Public Better Value
$995 -$175 $33,755 N/A 50%
North Florida College
Madison, FL · Public Better Value
$804 -$366 $33,929 61.5% 49%
Imperial Valley College
Imperial, CA · Public Better Value
$1,115 -$55 $34,487 N/A 47%
Henry Ford College
Dearborn, MI · Public Better Value
$660 -$510 $34,795 13.8% 46%
Wilkes Community College
Wilkesboro, NC · Public Better Value
$-264 -$1,434 $34,728 N/A 46%

How We Match Schools

Our similarity engine compares schools across six dimensions: institution type (Carnegie classification), ownership (public/private), enrollment size, admission selectivity, graduate earnings, and completion rates. Each dimension is weighted by its impact on student outcomes.

Only schools with a lower average net price than George C Wallace Community College-Dothan are shown. Schools marked "Better Value" have comparable or higher median earnings at a lower cost.

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median values 10 years after enrollment, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records. Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students, as reported through IPEDS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cheaper alternatives to George C Wallace Community College-Dothan?
We found 15 schools similar to George C Wallace Community College-Dothan that cost less. The closest match is Southern Regional Technical College with 78% similarity and a net price of $813.
What is the ROI of attending George C Wallace Community College-Dothan?
George C Wallace Community College-Dothan has an average net price of $1,170. Graduates earn a median of $31,399 ten years after enrollment. The earnings-to-cost ratio is 26.8x.
Are there schools with better outcomes than George C Wallace Community College-Dothan for less money?
Yes — 6 of 15 alternatives offer comparable or higher median earnings at a lower net price. Piedmont Community College costs $1,095 (saving $75) with median earnings of $33,274.
What is the cheapest alternative to George C Wallace Community College-Dothan?
The most affordable similar school is Western Technology Center at $-1,072, saving $2,242 compared to George C Wallace Community College-Dothan. It has a 53% similarity score.
How do alternative schools' earnings compare?
The 15 alternatives have an average median earnings of $31,277 compared to George C Wallace Community College-Dothan's $31,399. While alternatives cost less, their average earnings are also lower. Individual results vary — check the comparison table above.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.