Blue Ridge Community College vs. Gaston College

Comparable Facts

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

Gaston College is larger than Blue Ridge Community College based on total student enrollment (6,443 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); Gaston College is in Dallas, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Blue Ridge Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Gaston College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Blue Ridge Community College 12:1; Gaston College 17:1.

Blue Ridge Community College vs. Gaston College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blue Ridge Community College or Gaston 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 Gaston College than Blue Ridge Community College ($8,055 vs. $8,273).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blue Ridge Community College are 18.2% lower than at Gaston College ($9,826 vs. $12,018).
• Gaston College is 19.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Blue Ridge Community College (about $526 more per year; $3,186.00 vs. $2,660.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6% higher at Gaston College than at Blue Ridge Community College (about $526 more per year; $9,330.00 vs. $8,804.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Blue Ridge Community College than at Gaston College (93% vs. 59%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Gaston College students is 76.5% larger than aid received by Blue Ridge Community College students ($8,497 vs. $4,813).

Blue Ridge Community College vs. Gaston College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blue Ridge Community College or Gaston College? 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 Gaston College 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; Gaston College - Open admission.

Blue Ridge Community College vs. Gaston College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Blue Ridge Community College and Gaston College? 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 Gaston College earn a median of about $400 more per year than Blue Ridge Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($27,900 vs. $27,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.