Blue Ridge Community College vs. CVCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, NC with Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Catawba Valley Community College is larger than Blue Ridge Community College based on total student enrollment (4,904 students vs. 2,723 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Blue Ridge Community College is located in Flat Rock, NC (Rural Fringe setting); Catawba Valley Community College is in Hickory, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Blue Ridge Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Catawba Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Blue Ridge Community College 12:1; Catawba Valley Community College 10:1.

Blue Ridge Community College vs. CVCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blue Ridge Community College or CVCC? 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 Blue Ridge Community College than CVCC ($8,273 vs. $10,996).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blue Ridge Community College are 22.8% lower than at Catawba Valley Community College ($9,826 vs. $12,734).
• Blue Ridge Community College is 9.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than CVCC (about $233 more per year; $2,660.00 vs. $2,427.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 12.8% higher at Blue Ridge Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (about $1,001 more per year; $8,804.00 vs. $7,803.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Blue Ridge Community College than at Catawba Valley Community College (93% vs. 53%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba Valley Community College students is 103.1% larger than aid received by Blue Ridge Community College students ($9,775 vs. $4,813).

Blue Ridge Community College vs. CVCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blue Ridge Community College or CVCC? 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 CVCC and Blue Ridge Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Blue Ridge Community College - Open admission; CVCC - Open admission.

Blue Ridge Community College vs. CVCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Blue Ridge Community College and CVCC? 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 Catawba Valley Community College earn a median of about $1,700 more per year than Blue Ridge Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,200 vs. $27,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Catawba Valley Community College graduates have a $3,081 lower median loan debt than Blue Ridge Community College graduates ($7,419 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, CVCC graduates have an estimated $32 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Blue Ridge Community College graduates ($76 vs. $108).
• More CVCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blue Ridge Community College students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 29%)

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.