A-B Tech vs. McDowell Technical Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College in Asheville, NC with McDowell Technical Community College in Marion, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is larger than McDowell Technical Community College based on total student enrollment (6,510 students vs. 1,249 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is located in Asheville, NC (Small City setting); McDowell Technical Community College is in Marion, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. McDowell Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College 13:1; McDowell Technical Community College 8:1.

A-B Tech vs. McDowell Technical Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, A-B Tech or McDowell Technical Community College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McDowell Technical Community College than A-B Tech ($8,024 vs. $11,602).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McDowell Technical Community College are 0.5% lower than at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College ($11,943 vs. $12,000).
• Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is 41.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than McDowell Technical Community College (about $850 more per year; $2,882.00 vs. $2,032.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 35.9% higher at A-B Tech than at McDowell Technical Community College (about $2,386 more per year; $9,026.00 vs. $6,640.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College than at McDowell Technical Community College (100% vs. 59%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by McDowell Technical Community College students is 54.4% larger than aid received by Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College students ($9,220 vs. $5,970).

A-B Tech vs. McDowell Technical Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, A-B Tech or McDowell Technical Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between McDowell Technical Community College and A-B Tech.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: A-B Tech - Open admission; McDowell Technical Community College - Open admission.

A-B Tech vs. McDowell Technical Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for A-B Tech and McDowell Technical Community College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earn a median of about $6,300 more per year than McDowell Technical Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $25,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More A-B Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McDowell Technical Community College students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 24%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.