A-B Tech vs. WPCC

Deciding between Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College and Western Piedmont 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.

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • A-B Tech Asheville, NC
  • WPCC Morganton, NC
  • Setting
  • A-B Tech Small City
  • WPCC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • A-B Tech 6,510
  • WPCC 1,813
  • Type
  • A-B Tech Public 2 Year
  • WPCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • A-B Tech
  • WPCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • A-B Tech -
  • WPCC -
  • Status
  • A-B Tech Non-profit
  • WPCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • A-B Tech
  • WPCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • A-B Tech $2,882
  • WPCC $2,650
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • A-B Tech $9,026
  • WPCC $8,794
  • Room & Board
  • A-B Tech $12,000
  • WPCC $9,370
  • Average Net Price
  • A-B Tech $11,602
  • WPCC $6,448
  • Average Grant Aid
  • A-B Tech $5,970
  • WPCC $10,194
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • A-B Tech 100%
  • WPCC 78%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • A-B Tech 13:1
  • WPCC 10:1
  • 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%)
  • WPCC
    • Health Professions (22%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (21%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Engineering Technology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • A-B Tech -
  • WPCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • A-B Tech $31,700
  • WPCC $27,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • A-B Tech 37%
  • WPCC 26%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • A-B Tech $14,500
  • WPCC $3,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • A-B Tech $149
  • WPCC $36

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • A-B Tech 39%
  • WPCC 38%
  • % Women
  • A-B Tech 61%
  • WPCC 62%
  • Racial Diversity
  • A-B Tech Low
  • WPCC Low
  • HBCU
  • A-B Tech No
  • WPCC No
  • % White
  • A-B Tech 77%
  • WPCC 80%
  • % Asian
  • A-B Tech 1%
  • WPCC 8%
  • % Black
  • A-B Tech 7%
  • WPCC 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • A-B Tech 7%
  • WPCC 5%
  • % Native American
  • A-B Tech 1%
  • WPCC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • A-B Tech 0%
  • WPCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • A-B Tech 3%
  • WPCC 0%
  • % International
  • A-B Tech 2%
  • WPCC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • A-B Tech 3%
  • WPCC 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • A-B Tech 98%
  • WPCC 100%
  • % Out-of-State
  • A-B Tech 2%
  • WPCC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • A-B Tech No
  • WPCC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • A-B Tech No
  • WPCC No
  • Meal Plan
  • A-B Tech No
  • WPCC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • A-B Tech Yes
  • WPCC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • A-B Tech Yes
  • WPCC No

Comparable Facts

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

Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is larger than WPCC based on total student enrollment (6,510 students vs. 1,813 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is located in Asheville, NC (Small City setting); Western Piedmont Community College is in Morganton, NC (Small City setting).
  • Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Western Piedmont Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College 13:1; Western Piedmont Community College 10:1.

A-B Tech vs. WPCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, A-B Tech or WPCC? 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 Western Piedmont Community College than A-B Tech ($6,448 vs. $11,602).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Piedmont Community College are 21.9% lower than at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College ($9,370 vs. $12,000).
  • Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is 8.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than WPCC (about $232 more per year; $2,882.00 vs. $2,650.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 2.6% higher at A-B Tech than at Western Piedmont Community College (about $232 more per year; $9,026.00 vs. $8,794.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College than at Western Piedmont Community College (100% vs. 78%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Piedmont Community College students is 70.8% larger than aid received by Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College students ($10,194 vs. $5,970).

A-B Tech vs. WPCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, A-B Tech or WPCC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between WPCC 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; WPCC - Open admission.

A-B Tech vs. WPCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for A-B Tech and WPCC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Graduates from Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earn a median of about $4,100 more per year than WPCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $27,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Western Piedmont Community College graduates have a $11,000 lower median loan debt than A-B Tech graduates ($3,500 vs. $14,500).
  • Among borrowers, WPCC graduates have an estimated $113 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than A-B Tech graduates ($36 vs. $149).
  • More A-B Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WPCC students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 26%)

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.