A-B Tech vs. Tri-County Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is larger than Tri-County Community College based on total student enrollment (6,510 students vs. 1,023 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

A-B Tech vs. Tri-County Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, A-B Tech or Tri-County 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 Tri County Community College than A-B Tech ($7,905 vs. $11,602).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College are 31.4% lower than at Tri County Community College ($12,000 vs. $17,488).
• Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is 9.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Tri-County Community College (about $246 more per year; $2,882.00 vs. $2,636.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.8% higher at A-B Tech than at Tri County Community College (about $246 more per year; $9,026.00 vs. $8,780.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College than at Tri County Community College (100% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Tri County Community College students is 79.4% larger than aid received by Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College students ($10,711 vs. $5,970).

A-B Tech vs. Tri-County Community College Admissions comparison

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

A-B Tech vs. Tri-County Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for A-B Tech and Tri-County 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 $8,100 more per year than Tri-County Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $23,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More A-B Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tri-County Community College students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 31%)

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.