A-B Tech vs. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

Deciding between Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College and Rowan Cabarrus Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • A-B Tech Asheville, NC
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Salisbury, NC
  • Setting
  • A-B Tech Small City
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • A-B Tech 6,510
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 7,028
  • Type
  • A-B Tech Public 2 Year
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • A-B Tech
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • A-B Tech -
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College -
  • Status
  • A-B Tech Non-profit
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • A-B Tech
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • A-B Tech $2,882
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College $2,064
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • A-B Tech $9,026
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College $6,672
  • Room & Board
  • A-B Tech $12,000
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College $16,196
  • Average Net Price
  • A-B Tech $11,602
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College $9,548
  • Average Grant Aid
  • A-B Tech $5,970
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College $7,417
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • A-B Tech 100%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 69%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • A-B Tech -
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College -
  • Admitted
  • A-B Tech -
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • A-B Tech Open
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Open
  • Enrolled
  • A-B Tech Open
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • A-B Tech
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
  • Typical ACT score
  • A-B Tech
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
  • Average High School GPA
  • A-B Tech -
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • A-B Tech -
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College -
  • Admissions Standards
  • A-B Tech Unavailable
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • A-B Tech
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
  • ACT Range
  • A-B Tech
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
  • SAT Range
  • A-B Tech
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
  • Submit Test Scores
  • A-B Tech Open admission
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • A-B Tech
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • A-B Tech 13:1
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • A-B Tech
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (24%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (8%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (23%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • A-B Tech -
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • A-B Tech $31,700
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College $26,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • A-B Tech 37%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 23%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • A-B Tech $14,500
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College $9,516
  • Median Loan Payment
  • A-B Tech $149
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College $98

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • A-B Tech 39%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 38%
  • % Women
  • A-B Tech 61%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 62%
  • Racial Diversity
  • A-B Tech Low
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Medium
  • HBCU
  • A-B Tech No
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College No
  • % White
  • A-B Tech 77%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 65%
  • % Asian
  • A-B Tech 1%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 1%
  • % Black
  • A-B Tech 7%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 20%
  • % Hispanic
  • A-B Tech 7%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 8%
  • % Native American
  • A-B Tech 1%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • A-B Tech 0%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • A-B Tech 3%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 3%
  • % International
  • A-B Tech 2%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • A-B Tech 3%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • A-B Tech 98%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 100%
  • % Out-of-State
  • A-B Tech 2%
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • A-B Tech No
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • A-B Tech No
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College No
  • Meal Plan
  • A-B Tech No
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • A-B Tech Yes
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • A-B Tech Yes
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College No
  • Learn More
  • A-B Tech Details
  • Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Details

Comparable Facts

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

Rowan Cabarrus Community College is larger than A-B Tech based on total student enrollment (7,028 students vs. 6,510 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is located in Asheville, NC (Small City setting); Rowan Cabarrus Community College is in Salisbury, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Rowan Cabarrus Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College 13:1; Rowan Cabarrus Community College 15:1.

A-B Tech vs. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, A-B Tech or Rowan-Cabarrus 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 Rowan Cabarrus Community College than A-B Tech ($9,548 vs. $11,602).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College are 25.9% lower than at Rowan Cabarrus Community College ($12,000 vs. $16,196).
  • Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is 39.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (about $818 more per year; $2,882.00 vs. $2,064.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 35.3% higher at A-B Tech than at Rowan Cabarrus Community College (about $2,354 more per year; $9,026.00 vs. $6,672.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College than at Rowan Cabarrus Community College (100% vs. 69%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rowan Cabarrus Community College students is 24.2% larger than aid received by Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College students ($7,417 vs. $5,970).

A-B Tech vs. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, A-B Tech or Rowan-Cabarrus 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 Rowan-Cabarrus 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; Rowan-Cabarrus Community College - Open admission.

A-B Tech vs. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for A-B Tech and Rowan-Cabarrus 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 $5,400 more per year than Rowan-Cabarrus Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $26,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Rowan Cabarrus Community College graduates have a $4,984 lower median loan debt than A-B Tech graduates ($9,516 vs. $14,500).
  • Among borrowers, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College graduates have an estimated $51 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than A-B Tech graduates ($98 vs. $149).
  • More A-B Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rowan-Cabarrus Community College students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 23%)

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.